Code Geass: The Iron Prince
by gameboy5432
Summary: The 99th Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia is in his eighties and now as he neers the end of his life he relives the events which led him to become emperor,a period in time when he was the charismatic,ruthless,invincible and enigmatic Zero the "Iron Prince".
1. Phase I:The Demon remembers

**The demon remembers**

2088 a.t.b

November 25, 21:00

House of Commons

The Parliament was now in session and Tony Cobbler ,the prime minister, was addressing on the most recent economic development of the Empire .

"In conclusion, the recent economic downturn has caused a reduce in demand from our state-own clothing factories, and therefore our income for taxes will be affected . Also the private sectors are as well starting to be affected ; for now everything is fine, but at this rate we estimate that in six months we will have to start firing workers or raise taxes".

A collective mumble began spreading trough the great hall of the House of Commons.

"Ah! Yes, either raise taxes or fire people ! Such limited way of thinking this government has" was heard through the great hall as all eyes looked to the head seats where the emperor was sitting .

"What do you mean your majesty? This is normal precautions, for we need money so the government can survive during the crisis and to rebuilt it after the crisis passes .

"Yes, yes !" said a collective murmur of the others present.

"So fate says we either cut back or cut off our workers" the emperor said while he started typing something on his laptop. "If this is what fate wants I will just defy her, we will not raise the taxes nor will we fire workers ."

"What?" a collective gasp of shock filled the room, drowning it's silence with whispers , and then the Emperor raised his hand and all was silent.

"My lord then what do you suggest we do?"

"Adapt or die, that is natures only rule, instead of closing factories we adapt them, we convert them to industrial farms and cattle ranches, this way the people have jobs, and we also will have a stable economy" .

At this suggestion more mumbling was heard , but this time with a tone of admiration for the brilliant yet simple idea the emperor had.

"We have enough reserve funds to convert the factories and keep the workers paid until spring, but we will also have to do extensive surveys for suitable locations for the crops and cattle, and if we start searching tomorrow for suitable locations , we will first look for the area along New Pendragon" said Tony .

"No need to . Here" the emperor said as he pulled a flash disk out of his laptop and threw it at Tony for him to catch."There are suitable locations on that disk" . "For the county of Pendragon?" a question was heard.

"For the whole empire " said the king as the entire room gasped at hearing the statement.

"But it would take weeks ,even months to survey all the terrain … when did you start surveying it, my lord?" Tony said ,still shocked at the other man's words.

The emperor looked at his wrist watch and said "About 3 minutes ago'' .A second collective gasp filled the room , this time more surprised , as Tony's eyes lid up with admiration and awe for the king .

"Even in his eighties the king still continues to surprise and astound everyone" , he said in his mind.

"If there are no more issues I would like to call this month's meeting adjourned" said the Emperor, and seeing how no one said anything more the meeting finished , everybody going back to their homes.

On the way out he heard murmurs from the ones he passed on how brilliant the king was, how some called him genius and what he just did now ,a land survey which normally takes months ,and he did it in only a few seconds – it sounded like a miracle.

Once inside his personal limousine , Lelouch the Emperor lost himself in his own thoughts ." Miracle! Ha, what a bunch of hog wash . I prepared that factory conversion plan years ago in case of such a turn of events should arrive… perhaps I shouldn't have lied and told them that I did it all in 3 minutes" , he exhaled a breath of exhaustion . " Oh well I deceived so many and told so few truths - what's one more lie on my conscience anyway?"

Once he arrived at the New Aries Imperial Villa , the king went to his private quarters and sat down on his chair ,opening a photo book , looking at the pictures.

"He is so much like you Jeremiah, your grandson has about the same personality ,the same method of thinking… I wish you could have seen him as an adult now , old friend" , the emperor said as he started to go through the photo album.

"So many friends and family - all passed away…" he said looking at the pictures of Clovis, Euphemia, Cornelia, Suzaku, Villeta, Jeremiah, Odyseus and so many more until he finally got to the last two photos in the album.

The first one was of Nunnally , the one person for which he cared about more than anything in this world. To this one he gave a smile which was both filled with sadness and happiness , for all of the persons in the picture were now dead, most of them from old age, others from disease and a few died during the war, but he!

He survived every hellish trial the world set out for him , and now he was alone and all his loved ones were dead.

The second photo was of Schneizell which gave the emperor a scowl on his face, for Schneizell had caused him more grief than anything else , and if one thing he regretted about his death was that he lived a long life and did not die when he was borned.

"Looking at those photos again , Lelouch? You are still acting like a little boy! " a voice was heard in the room .Lelouch the Emperor turned around in his chair and looked at C.C who was lying on the bed in her underwear.

"Still the wise crack aren't you Witch?" Lelouch said as he got up from his chair and went to the clothes drawer next to the bed and opened it.

C.C got up from the bed and went behind him ,hugging and kissing his neck . "Old memories still troubling you, why don't you come to bed ? I'll make them go away" she said while planting kisses on his neck.

"I'm 88 years old C.C , don't you get tired of sleeping with an old fat fart like me?"

"Not at all, and you're not fat , your actually quite slim , and when compared to other men your age your prince charming ." she said still smiling.

"King charming to be correct, but... as you recall I was never, ever prince charming, I was a prince the world had not seen " Lelouch said as he grasped her hands with his own , continuing:

"How many years has it been , C.C , how many years have past since I was "The Iron Prince", he said as he looked at his old tricorn mask, cape, gun and suit ."How many years has it been since I was Zero?"

Author's note:

Read and review this is my pilot, if I get good reviews I will expand this into a series also I wrote it in anticipation for the New Geass project .

2nd Author's note :

Hi there ~! Gameboy5432's editor speaking here. We're relaunching the chapters (Now with much better grammar , so to speak) . So if you see too many commas or Godlike grammar skills , it means that the story was passed to me.

You can visit me at .


	2. Phase II: A Good Night

Chapter II: A good night

2017 a.t.b.

Imperial Reception hall, Governor Palace, Tokyo

To say that Clovis' parties where something the whole nobility looked forward to was an understatement. Clovis , despite his incompetence and lack of skill in government ,made it up with his ability to entertain and host some of the most memorable parties in high society, and tonight he pulled all stops to give his little brother a proper welcome to Area 11.

All of the nobility there had gathered to meet the famous "Iron Prince", the hero of the empire, who had made the E.U. tremble, among them were ambassadors from China , generals and politicians who came from the mainland specifically for this reception, and even the members of the N.A.C came ,both out of a desire to meet him and to scout a potential opponent for their resistance movement.

"Major General Lelouch vi Britannia , Brigadier General Jeremiah Gottwaldov , Brigadier's Villeta NU and Kewell Soresi , and knight of honor and Captain of the guards …"SK". "

At this the whole room went silent , turning their eyes towards the entrance of the ball. There they saw a figure wearing a black uniform ,donned with armor on his chest, legs and arms with a cape and a tri horned helmet, flanked by the above mentioned four officers for his military victories. Lelouch was also famous through-out the world in spite of, or because of the fact that he never showed his face. He always appeared with a mask when in public, the same was for "SK" , for he was also wearing a white smiling mask to conceal his face .

And so the Prince looked at the bewildered crowd he then turned his head to his subordinates and told them "Men, it seems that we are faced with superior numbers in an environment which is unfamiliar to us ". A small round of chuckle came from his subordinates.

"What's our strategy, commander?" replied Jeremiah.

"Divide and conquer, we separate into smaller forces , confuse them, hit hard , then get the hell out of dodge !" Lelouch said, earning another small chuckle from his officers.

And so they all went their separate ways to mingle with the various party guests. Kewell was the first to be "intercepted" by the enemy or so to speak, namely and Earl Rosencrantz.

"Brigadier Soresi, it's pleasure to finally meet you" the fat nobleman said ,extending his hand. Kewell was hesitant, for in the back of his mind dreaded the thought of entering a long and boring conversation with this human hippopotamus, but politeness made him smile and shake the ham man's hand in return.

"Forgive my boldness Brigadier, but why does the Prince and his knight of honor conceal their faces?"

"His highness wishes to conceal his identity in order to avoid any assassination attempt by enemies ,the same going for SK as well" Kewell replied.

"Understandable for a prince , but slightly cowardice of a knight" he said while taking a sip of his champagne.

At this Kewell smiled and put his left arm around the noble's shoulder, the Earl turned to look at him and then Kewell's smile disappeared, his eyes where that of pure hatred . He suddenly grabbed the Earl's throat with the arm he had around the man's shoulder, starting to choke the man.

"If you insult SK one more time I swear I'll strangle you to death , you silk wearing fat pig!" he whispered, then released the man and went to another portion of the room. For Kewell ,anyone who insulted SK, no ,anyone who insulted any other of his comrades deserved to die .

"Are you aware of the fact that the Europeans are calling you the "Niddhog" now because of your recent action in Siberia, little brother ?" Clovis asked him.

"The mythological monster who starts the end of the world in Norse mythology… I rather like that title ! " Lelouch said with a chuckle , which modified by his voice scrambler made it sound as if it truly belonged to a monster, making Clovis be a little scared.

Just then a guest arrived at the party, or rather the last one you would rather expect at such a gathering.

The doorman looked at him confused for a second, then looked at the invitation the man had and his entourage gave him, then announcing to the whole room :

"Colonel Kyoshiro Todoh and Co." . Suddenly , at this news the whole room , as if being struck by thunder, turned around and saw him, the only man who had managed to defeat the empire's armies.

The crowd of nobles then started whispering among themselves, mostly words like "what's he doing here" and such.

Right after that, something shocking happened . Lelouch strolled up to the man , giving him a slight bow and a wave of the cape and said :

" Colonel Todoh it is an honor that you had decided to accept my invitation"

Todoh did not knew what shocked him more , the fact that Lelouch was the one who sent the invitation or that fact that he spoke Japanese, and rather a fluent, formal and elegant dialect of it too.

"Since you are here, would you do me the honor of a chess match?"Lelouch said.

"So that is why you invited me here, to humiliate me in front of the nobility" Todoh though to himself.

"Forgive me but I am afraid I'm a little rusty at chess" he replied to the prince.

Lelouch seemed unfazed, or so Todoh thought for he could not tell from his facial expression , as of the Prince's mask.

"I see you are hesitant, well then should I make things more interesting ?"

"What about this , if you defeat me at chess then I will give you this" Lelouch continued, while pulling his dagger from beneath his cloak.

Todoh was shocked once again, the dagger was something that was given to the top cadet at West Point when they graduated, it was the highest honor a newly minted officer could receive, the britannian equivalent of a samurai's sword value to it's owner.

" And if I lose?"Todoh asked the prince.

"Then I get your sword" Lelouch said.

Todoh was not one to be tricked and baited into a battle, but his subordinates besides him and Lt Colonel Kusakabe who was standing behind him silently urged him to accept the challenge and put the "royal bastard" in his place, he had no choice but to accept.

A chess table was provided and both players sat down as they were surrounded by the entire room who were now spectators.

Lelouch played with black while Todoh was white. Todoh couldn't help but inwardly laugh at the familiarity of the situation… He was pushed in a battle because of the pressure from his superior and subordinates , surrounded by enemy forces, it was Itsukushima all over again, but then he was able to win because he faced a superior army with an incompetent commander …here he knew that there was no chance of victory.

And so the match began, at first it was a stalemate, after a while Todoh managing to put Lelouch in check, gaining a round of gasps from the nobility. But Todoh could tell that Lelouch was maneuvering him into check mate, for he could see from the position of Lelouch's pieces, that in 5 moves he would be defeated. If not for the check, he would have been done in two moves.

Lelouch then did the unthinkable, he touched his king with his hand and then said.

"Do you know Colonel Todoh, of the story of the roman general Julius Caesar, early in his military campaign? He suffered a defeated by Vercingetorix . Normally ,that would mean the wars would end, but the roman senators who up until then where against Caesars' Gallic War , became afraid that the Gaulls would then invade Italy .Then they gave him all the support he needed to conquer Gaul, so sometimes a man gains more from a defeat than from a victory, once such instant is now" Lelouch said he then put his black king to lie on the chest table and then said:"Checkmate . I lose ."

The entire room was shocked, and Todoh being most shocked off them all for he expected to lose. Lelouch rose from the table, accidentally knock it with his foot, making the West Point dagger and samurai sword fall to the ground. He immediately picked them up, handed both of them to Todoh and then left the room with his officers.

**3 hours latter Naritta Mountain**

There was a wild party going for the man who had "defeated" britannia's hero and everyone in the JLF was participating, including the members of the N.A.C. Kusakabe was the drunkest of all and he kept on shouting on about how much he pitied the soldiers who must serve under the "Iron Prince" for his incompetence.

Bur for Todoh there was something amiss, his victory was not a victory . He knew that Lelouch, purposely let him win, but why ? At first he thought that the dagger he gave him was with a tracking device or microphone, but it turned out clean at scans .

"Something is bothering you ,Todoh-shogun?" Nagisa Chiba said to the samurai.

"Like you I witnessed the chess match, and find it odd that he let you win " she then continued.

"I would like nothing more than to believe that the victory was of my own skill, and celebrate it . There is a feeling inside me that says I fell into his trap and, this "defeat" he suffered will be the key to his total victory" Todoh said nervously as he squeezed his sake cup.

Nagisa had never seen her commander and the man she admired and secretly had feeling for so tense. On his face, which never showed emotions, she saw something she never though she would see, something she did not see neither when the Second Pacific War began, neither at Itsukushima, and not even when Japan became an Area.

It was fear, fear of the unknown… no ,not the unknown but of that person .Prince Lelouch , somehow he had managed to make Todoh" The Miracle" afraid.

Meanwhile, back at Prince Lelouch's private quarters, the Prince looked at a monitor that was filming the JLF party ." How right you are Todoh, you truly are a leader of men".

Lelouch then leaned back in his chair ,put his right arm on his forehead and started remembering the events which happened just a few hours ago, right after he let Todoh win . He intentionally bumped the table , and while he picked up the dagger and sword he did indeed put a bug on one of them, but it was Todoh's sword and not the dagger, for he knew that they would anticipate, such an action, but they would be too preoccupied with the dagger to check the samurai's sword.

He then thought just how much intel he gathered from his little deception, from their conversation he discovered . The position of their bases ,their immediate plans, even t he names of their supporter, he now had a man on the inside, or rather a samurai on the inside - and no one could or would ever suspect it. For Lelouch had just transformed Todoh from his greatest potential enemy, to his greatest ally , even if the man didn't know it himself.

Just then on the JlF's DJ box , the old Black Eyed Peas song "I Gotta Feeling" started playing . The lyrics of it started flowing the room as Lelouch couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation, for tonight the JLF, like Vercingetorix , would enjoy the victory of the battle, but him like Caesar would enjoy the victory of the war .

Yes, tonight was "A GOOD NIGHT"

Author's note

Sorry I took so long , midterm exams came and I had to focus on them , plus I was not sure whether I should continue, the story or not ,anyway thanks for the positive reviews, keep read and reviewing , and you'll be able to read more about the Iron Prince

Editor's note :

Hey guys ~! I just corrected this chapter of the fanfiction. Took me a while but I did it ~ Anyway , don't forget to review ~

Also visit me on .

Zombie signing out ~


	3. Phase III:The day the Dragon awakens

Chapter III: The day the Dragon awakens

(Governor's Palace)

Lelouch, Jeremiah, Viletta, Kewell, sat all around Lelouch's office and began to eat breakfast, they all did this because as they where the heroes of the moment they were all usually bothered with stories and autographs by other officers and personal whenever they went to mess so they avoided the cafeteria, and Suzaku was currently at project Camelot to test the prototype.

A strange silence was around the room, and although none of his underlings said it Lelouch knew that on their minds was the recent chest match, in which he intentionally lost against Todoh.

"Why the bloody hell where you thinking last night Lelouch" was heard in the room and the 4 officers looked around to see who had yelled out what they were all thinking and saw Clovis whose voice rang from the office entrance of which the door had been slammed opened by him.

Clovis was unable to scold his brother last night for he was busy keeping the media getting this story leaked to the public.

"Do you know what public embarrassment this would cause if it got out to the general public, that a prince bas outsmarted by a number, and not just any number but Todoh himself.

Clovis had a deep hatred and fear of Todoh for during the invasion of Japan, with the war clearly in a stage where Britannian total victory was drawing near, Clovis was eager to make a name for himself and return home as a war hero.

So he took command of a division and assaulted a small island situated in the southern region of Japan defended by a small regiment, under a colonel whose name nobody had heard and did no bother to learn it or how to pronounce it right, that colonel was Todoh and the island was called Itskushima, and after the battle, no man in Brittannia did not knew the name of "Kiseki no Todoh" .

Lelouch seeing his older brother within this outburst calmly took a sip of his orange juice, wiped his mouth with the napkin and calmly said "I was thinking of destroying the terrorist organizations".

"By giving Todoh West Point's, highest honor!" Clovis said angrily, as he was looking down at his little brother.

"By tricking them into making a mistake "Lelouch got up and said with a thunderous roar which made Clovis's outburst seem like a Chihuahua barking at a Alsatian, and at this Clovis was taken aback and he stuttered backwards with Lelouch looking up at him.

Lelouch then walked around his desk at walked towards Clovis, while Clovis at the same time was taking steps back as if he knew subconsciously the difference between their "dog personas".

"Why do you think the _Nippon Kaihō Sensen_, Blood of the Samurai, Yamato Alliance and other organizations have survived for so long? It is because they know that if they go in the open, then they will ne annihilated". Lelouch said and paused for a moment to let Clovis digest that piece of information, he then took another few steps forward, along with Clovis who made two steps backwards.

"But if we make them believe that the enemy commander is a moron and that there is hope for, victory they will become bolder, but boldness without brains is nothing short of suicide" he said deciding to leave out the part about how he slipped a bug on Todoh's sword for divulging one's secrets was not the best idea even if it was to his brother, after letting the information set in Clovis asked"

"But even if this gives them a boost of confidence, why should we wait for them to strike first, why not just get rid of them now, and with you to assist me, I don't think it would be that much of a problem"

"No, if I wanted to I could say destroy them, in let's say month or two, but that is the problem Clovis" he said to his brother while wagging his finger at him.

To Jeremiah and the others the scene of a shorter man who was staring down and lecturing a taller person who was also higher in rank (e.g Clovis being a governor and 3rd prince to Lelouch who was a major-general and the 11th prince) seemed like something out of a Marx brothers movie, and if they had heard about it and not witness it ,they would have considered it a bad joke, and it was only politeness, combined with an iron discipline that prevented them from laughing.

"We can't just attack them go gun-ho and slaughter them all, because they would them become martyrs, and a man can become 10 times more powerful dead than alive that way" he finished and then went to his desk took out a pack of cigarettes and offered Clovis one which he accepted.

"So you plan on discrediting them first?" Clovis said while exhaling a puff of smoke.

"That's part of my plan yes, there greatest ally is public support but if we take that away from them, then it's bye ,bye terrorist's"

"And what are the other parts of you plan?"

"Come come now brother, one must not declare checkmate before it is certain or the moves he wishes' to use to achieve it to anyone now would they" he said as he gave alight tap on Clovis's cheek in the manner as a school teacher friendly restraining a young pupil who was curious of the end of a fairytale, but did not have the patience to sit through the story.

Lelouch then let out a puff of smoke pick up a brief case from his desk and then exited the room followed by his commanders.

Clovis sat there in Lelouch's chair, and he replayed the conversation in his head he realized that, the plan or rather that one part of the plan which Lelouch told him was simple but brilliant, for the eleven's support was the terrorist, power base, and that inviting Todoh to the party and, loosing the dagger was all part of the plan, filled Clovis with aw at his little brothers genius.

Just then he realized something, and the shock of it made him choke on his Cigarette and stand up straight in his chair, for only know did he just realized that Lelouch knew the manes of the terrorist organizations _Nippon Kaihō Sensen_, Blood of the Samurai, Yamato Alliance, something which he who had been governor for over a year only knew, and Lelouch knew their names without him telling, but what shocked him was the fact that it took him months just to discover their names, and Lelouch had only arrived in Area eleven yesterday and had discovered it by himself .

He, Lelouch somehow had managed in a few hours what, Clovis needed months to accomplish, that itself made Clovis sit back down and rest his face in his palms as the hard cruel truth sank in to him, not the difference between Chihuahua and an Alsacian, but rather a Chihuahua and "Cerberus" himself the hellhound, who stood above all other dogs and a minor god within the Greek Pantheon.

" A dog and a demigod, is that how big a difference it is between you and I little brother?" Clovis said while he pulled a flask from within his shirt and took a sip out of it.

Clovis by know was a small time alcoholic, and partially the reason behind it was Lelouch himself, for whenever Clovis compared his accomplishments with Lelouchs he always became depress.

Clovis when he was younger he was enlisted at West Point, but he failed the entrance exams, but he was still let in because he was royalty, he barely maintained himself above the floating line, and graduated last in his class.

He was determined to prove he was a capable military commander, during the Second Pacific War, oh and he proved it alright, he proved that he was the least capable of all at Itsukushima.

Following that, officially he was honorably discharged for" health reason's", but in fact he had quit his commission, so he let his sorrow be healed by the " noble lady's" of Britannia after that he found he had a talent for speaking many words with little sense, so he entered politics.

For a while he thought he had found his calling and was appointed Governor of Area 11.

When he heard that Lelouch had passed as first candidate at West Point he was proud of his little brother, and when he graduated as first cadet he was prouder still, but after Lelouch military victory's in Siberia, Clovis had combed to realize that Lelouch had completely overshadowed him.

But Clovis did not hate his little brother for this, for he was happy for him, but he was envious for militarily Lelouch, was everything he was not, and that is why he started drinking he realized that he was incompetent and that Lelouch was his intellectual superior, that had drove him to the bottle it was the only thing, that made him forget.

And what happened just a few moments ago made him realized that he may even be in fact in Lelouch's way, that had made him seek the bottle and it's comfort once more.

" I wish I had only one tenth of your brains little brother, but then again I probably dew" he said as he laughed and took another sip of brandy from the flask and a puff of smoke.

Half an hour passed then his cell phone rang, Clovis answered it.

"Prince Clovis this is Justine and Emmanuelle, are we still set up for tonight at eight for the opera ore do you wish to meet early" she said laughing together with her sister.

Clovis silently searched through his little Black book, which was the size of a bible, and there was only a few pages left which did not contain, the names of various women he had dated and bedded over the years, and quickly found the names of the two girls, who where the daughters of the Jean Baptist 14th Marquis du Sade .

"No I am afraid, I cannot meet up early, but I will meet you at the opera" he said as he closed the conversation.

He knew that does women where in the mood of him bedding them again, but he was not, and just then he realized that the only reason they wanted him to bed him was because he was a prince, not because of his accomplishments, not because of who he was but what he was, a prince, someone of which all his desires would be fulfilled, despite how undeserving he was of such a privilege, this was an even greater blow for Clovis, and once again he turned to the sweet nectar within the flask for comfort.

Just then his phone wrong again and Clovis angrily picked it up and said "For God's sake go castrate yourself you horn dog" thinking it was the Ladies once more.

"My lord?" a male voice was heard on the other end and Clovis immediately recognized his voice and his mistake.

"Forgive me Bradley, I thought you were somebody else" Clovis said and was quickly dispersed from his depression and immediately entered his "Governor mode" sow to speak.

"Do not worry about that you highness, but I am afraid that we have a grave problem, the capsule has been stolen!" Bartley said.

Clovis immediately panicked and went out of Lelouch office "I'll be there in 5 minutes, in the meantime ready the troops." Clovis said as he exited the room.

(Shinjuku's Highway)

Lelouch was on his way to school, namely Ashford Academy, where he maintained the identity of Lelouch Lamperouge, and no one knew he was royalty, for in his humble oppinion what better way to know the common people than to live amongst them.

He was reading the bible while being driven to Ashford, and for him this was the first time reading it, for although he was not religious, he knew that this book influence's over 2 billion of the world's population, and it never hurt to know such a powerful object's content's.

He had reached that part of the bible which told the story of Babylon, a great kingdom, which was undefeated, until it became corrupt and evil, and it fell apart.

He saw parallels between Brittannia and Babylon, both great kingdoms, which had fallen to greed and decadence, the only question now was how long until Brittannia falls on itself, he did not have time to mentally debate on that for a van suddenly bumped his car from behind, the impact drove both vehicles of the highway and into the Shinjuku construction site.

Lelouch regained his senses and drew out his pistol he saw that his driver was dead but he knew how to keep his presence unknown once he got back on his feet quickly took out his pistol, and started approaching the van and entered it, and saw a strange giant capsule, and a red knightmare which looked like an old Glasgow.

Just then he the van started its engine again and started moving, Lelouch hid himself as he heard voice's coming from the front seats, which were spoken in Japanese.

Lelouch had learned it from Suzaku so he was a fluent speaker of it.

"Tamaki you should have watched the road , you probably killed who was in that car back there" said a female voice.

"Oh shut up Kallen, that helicopter which was following us was starting the shoot, I got us out of its line of sight didn't I?"Said a female voice.

After a few minutes, the van stopped in some building, and Lelouch from his hidden position, that the two occupants left the vehicle, the woman mounted the red Glasgow and then he saw them Talking to someone called Oughi from what he heard of their conversation and, learned that, they stole something of value from his brother, namely a capsule of experimental poison gas and that now he was mobilizing his forces to get it back.

After they left, Lelouch approached the capsule, who just then burst open revealing a woman dressed in prisoners garments , realizing that this was much more t hat what it appeared, he knew that he had to for a minute on what course of action he should take and immediately after a minute he took out his cell phone and began dialing a few numbers.

"This is major general Lelouch vi Brittannia, I have a request of you"

….A few minutes later Lelouch dialed another number"

"Kewell and Villeta, you go to where my brother is and stay in constant contact with him, tell him I sent you and I advise him to keep you by his side, and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid ,Jeremiah take Suzaku with you, and come get me, I need you to roundevou with me, I need evac now is that understood?

"Yes my lord" they said.

Lelouch, the looked outside the building to the city outside and said, "Siberia was just an exercise, the real game of power begins now."

He then turned around to the girl who was in the capsule, only to be astounded by the fact that she was gone, he looked around and saw that she was nowhere to be seen within eyesight.

"What the Devil? She moves like a bloody demon!" he said with a silent giggle.

Just then he saw a semi-run down car pulling up near his location, and out of it Jeremiah came out, for it was easy for him to find his Prince if he was in danger, for he always carried a homing beacon with them.

"My Lord, are you alright?"He said while rushing to his Liege.

"I am perfectly fine Jeremiah , but we must Leave now before the army encircles this place."He said, and both master and servant entered the car,, which although look like a pile of junk, from the outside, on the inside it had a brand new V8, engine and was, tuned enough to be put into racing, the reason why Lelouch chose to let it remain ugly from the outside, was that no one would thing a Prince travelled in such a car, giving him an advantage of stealth whenever he traveled by car.

They were on the bridge which separated Shinjuku from the rest Tokyo, when they were stopped by a knightmare.

The pilot said through the Speaker's: "In the name of prince Clovis, no one leaves the ghetto, you filthy eleven's."

Just then Jeremiah chuckled and said" This out to be interesting" and stepped of the car and said" I was not a where that this is how Clovis's men addressee their superior officer's.

Needless to say the pilot once seeing that Brigadier Jeremiah Gottwald stepped out of the car, he immediately started panicking.

"My lord, I apologize, but what were you doing in the ghetto?"

"That's none of your business,lieutenant" Jeremiah said to the frightened pilot.

"Sir I'm a Captain "said the now confused knighmare pilot, for his knightmare had an insignia, which showed rank on his chest, one which clearly show that he was a captain.

"Well now you're a lieutenant, now get out of my way, before I bust your ass to non-commision officer" Jeremiah yelled out which made the knighmare frame take a step back from the sheer t one of his voice.

The pilot then let the car passé, and as they drove away Lelouch couldn't help but chuckle as he looked trough the back window at the knighmare.

"What's so funny my lord?" Jeremiah said.

"Just the image of you scolding a mammoth knightmare frame, it was like Jack scolding the giant" and to this statement Jeremiah joined his commander with his own laughter.

A few minutes later they arrived at Clovi's mobile command center, Lelouch opened the briefcase which he had been carrying he then took out of it the "Iron Prince" mask he had within it, put it on his face' along with his cape, and exited the car followed by Jeremiah.

(Clovi's mobile command center)

"I'm telling you that, that we must recover the gas at all cost, so I want a full scale attack to commence on Shinjuku" Clovis said to Kewell and Viletta.

"But my lord it would be a bloodbath, soldiers to not kill defenseless and innocent civilians" Viletta said trying to calm him down, Kewell was wondering how long can they delay this command.

"Innocent and defenseless? HA! They are hardly innocent, for they harbor terrorists and they are deserving in their faith for that, so once more I order all units destroy Shinjuku Ghetto!" Clovis said with a wave of his hand.

"Cancel that order" a booming voice came from the entrance to the command center's bridge, the occupant's turned and saw Lelouch in his mask walking into theroom.

"See here Lelouch you may be a general but I am a Governor, and these are my order's"

"You're order will only result in senseless death, and once the news leaks of what you've done to the population, the ranks of the Terrorists will swell why new recruits to avenge the fallen" Lelouch said .

This took Clovis aback and he pondered for a moment, what to do, but then he remembered t he fate he would suffer at his father's hands, if he found out about that capsule, and he said with his best authoritarian tone:" It does not mather, orders are orders and if you can't do them then I will find somebody else who will"

Clovis had said that, and an eerie silence, flooded the room, and after a moment, Lelouch pulled out his hand gun and aimed it at Clovi's, making him fall on his ass from the shock, Clovi's officers then tried to pull out their gun's but were halted by Lelouch's who pulled out they'res

Clovis by now was ready to pee himself and he was to scarred, but then he calmed down and said to himself "Cerberus has finally decide to get rid of the annoying Chihuahua" and he accepted his faith, knowing that between dying at Lelouch's hands and fancying the Emperor's wrath he would have gladly chose Death.

But then Lelouch flipped the gun in mid air and rolled it with the barrel facing himself and the handle towards Clovis's direction, then he calmly said" If you think that I am no longer needed then, fell free to kill me"

Clovis' was more shocked by change of events that by the fact that Lelouch pulled a gun at him.

He then continued:" As you said Clovis, you are a Governor, a leader, and when a leader has a subordinate which no longer follows him, he gets rid of that subordinate, I have my own methods of operation, and I will not use yours, I came here to offer my assistance, not my submission, you either accept me and give me free hand, reject me and restrict me, but if you deny me, then terminate me!" he said with a his thunderous voice, and with the effect of the voice scrambler, he sounded even more grander than usual.

Clovi's was not expecting this, he did not know what to do but stare , at his Little brother, the man was hovering above him, and only did now Clovis's realized that he was totally eclipsed by Lelouch, both figural and literal, and when a person meets someone, who is grater then them t hey do the only logical thing left to do.

"You have command Major General, do what you please" he said with half breath, and immediately the tensions in the room dissipated, and Lelouch officers lowered they're gun's.

"I thank you Governor, "Lelouch looked outside and saw that a news van had arrived.

"Now if you will excuse, me I have a crisis to avert" he said and then left the room followed by his subordinates.

"Treason! it's treason to pull a gun at someone higher in rank" Bartley said to his Prince, who was still on the floor.

"You're highness, we could have him arrested, for the crime he has committed", he said out loud, and the other officers all nodded in agreement.

"Is it a crime for a man to remind a mouse his place is the world?"Clovis said out loud.

This statement shocked Bartley to the core so much that his monocle fell from his eye, Bartley understood, that Clovis looked to his younger brother for military advise, and he knew that between the numerous chest matches they had that Lelouch was a superior general and overall leader, he knew that but he hoped, that they day would never come when his Lord realized, that, but the dreaded day had come.

"Arrest him? For what? For offering to terminate himself, if I saw to consider him useless? Any court would not condemn him, but even praise him for his dedication and loyalty, no Bartley, the truth is he has completely outmaneuvered me and outshined me on every level, I am know only in his way, what we shall do is watch , and see as my little brother only become's greater."

At hat statement Bartley, and the other officers, all closed their eyes, in despair, for they knew it was true, and after a moment and they returned to the monitor.

"Now let us watch a Titan in action "Clovis said with sarcasm.

(Outside the command center)

Lelouch in with his mask on towards, the news van, and when he reached it he was greeted by, a tall blond man.

"You're name is?"

"Diethard Reed, you're highness, I am pleased that you requested our presence here, might I ask what for?" he said looking at the man with a metallic mask on his head.

Lelouch turned towards Kewell and said" Is the Lancelot ready?"

"Yes my lord, ready to be deployed at a moment's notes".

"Very well, then" he then turned towards Diethard again.

"Mister Reed, I would like a Live broadcast right here"

"What should it's territorial limits, my lord?"

"None" Lelouch said.

"Now .this is a good stage, wouldn't you agree mister Reed?" he said

Diethard eye's went big with amazement with this, no territorial limit meant the whole world would see it, and he wondered just what was the "Iron Prince" planning.

(Shinjuku Ghetto entrance)

Kallen was in her knightmare, and was in a hidden position, waiting for Britannia to strike, she remembered, the invasion from seven years ago, how they're force proudly paraded into Shinjuku without a single army unit left to stop them, and now with battle near and the Britannian army, preparing to enter Shinjuku again and would no way out,she swore that this time they would defend it, they would fight no matter what.

But what striked her, was that they we're in position but they we're not attacking what we're they waiting for?

And then , the radios went silent, all the TV's all of a sudden went blank, then the image of 'The Iron Prince" appeared on the screen, and his thunderous voice was heard on the radio's.

"Everyone, a good day to you all, I am Major General Lelouch vi Brittannia , but you may call me Zero if you like."

What shocked Kallen, was not his sudden appearance, but the fact that he was speaking Japanese, and not just any Japanese but he spoke it fluently ,and elegantly, like he was the former prime minister.

"Earlier today, from a research facility, a capsule of poison gas, was stolen by an anti-government organization, and now it resides within Shinjuku, what the hijacker's did not know is that the capsule must be kept at a certain temperature, or it will explode"

This statement sanded a collective shock , trough the whole of Shinjuku and Tokyo, even Kallen was shocked.

"It has however an emergency supply of cooling liquid, which is used for transport and judging by the time of its theft, the power supply has approximately 30 minutes left, after that it will release a poison cloud which will without a doubt cause countless death's, my intention of coming here in Shinjuku is not to fight, but to save lives'

I request the people of Shinjuku, to evacuate immediately, my men will that the evacuation goes as quick as possible, and as for the anti- government insurgents, I do not ask of you to surrender, merely evacuate with the rest, of the population, my only concern is saving innocent Japanese lives, you will not be harmed, however some of you, have little reason to trust my word, however…."

He said as he visibly unsheathed a dagger from his cape, he then showed the dagger, to the cameras and then did the unthinkable and stabbed himself in the left arm.

He then pulled out the dagger, made a fist out of his bloody arm and said

"I swear on my honor, on my mother's grave and on my blood, that I will keep my word"

This shocked even Kallen, and for a moment she did not know how to react to this gesture, but then, she saw that the resident's were evacuating the ghetto, and her confusion was replaced by astaundment, that the citizen's had believed him.

Just then Oughi's voice was heard over here radio, and he said"KAllen, come on this is our only chance to escape".

"What about the knightmare" she angrily said?

"Hide it in the usual spot, and we will get it back latter" he said

Kallen was now angrier than she had been ever before in her life, she was prepared to fight Brittannia to the death, she knew that she was fighting a loosing battle, and she would probably die here, but she was determined to take down as many Brittannian soldiers as possible, but now she realized that they had lost Shinjuku was recaptured, they had surrendered, and Brittannia, NO! Lelouch had won , without firing a shot.

It would have been better if they attacked and killed them all.

(Outside the command center)

Suzaku was in the Lancelot's cockpit, and he bread a breath of relief that , a battle was avoided, although he was concerned about the fact that Lelouch literally stabbed himself, he was still relived, that no blood need be shed.

After seeing that the evacuation, was almost over, his communicator rang, it was Lelouch.

"Suzaku the evacuation's almost over, take command of the frames and go and retrieve that capsule, but be careful there might still be insurgent's inside Shinjuku" he said

"What about the capsule's cooling system" Suzaku said with concern.

"What cooling system" Lelouch said with a chuckle.

It was then that Suzaku realized, that the story about the cooling system was a lie, oh Lelouch you magnificent bastard, you done it again, he said to himself and then launched the Lancelot to retrieve the capsule.

After that Lelouch went back inside the mobile fortress and noticed it was dark and there was no one there, he then saw Clovis on a throne and noticed he was drinking from a half empty bottle of brandy.

"Clovis, what's wrong you should be happy, I got your capsule back" he said while removing his mask from his face.

" Happy, yes I should be, but you know that was weary clever of you, with that lie about the capsule, and stabbing yourself in the hand, I would have never thought of that, and it made me realize just how insignificant I really am," Clovis said as he took another sip of brandy.

"And I realize this is the only way out for me" Clovis said as he pulled a gun seemingly out of nowhere, at first Lelouch though that he was going to shoot him, but then Clovis pointed the gun at his own head.

"When father finds out about this, and the fact that you cleaned up my blunder, he will punish me, and you know just what ma man he is" Clovis said with tears now falling from his eyes.

"Wait don't do this, just because he disinherits you or something like that, doesn't mean you should kill yourself" Lelouch said panicking at his brother's action.

Clovis then looked at his brother and said

"No I don't care what he does to me, but my mother, she would be penniless and in disgrace, I could not bare the thought of her suffering for my incompetence, also I would like to thank you Lelouch , if it weren't for you I probably would have ordered a massacre, and, I tell the world that I died fighting, make a good lie, you're very skilful at that. "

"Clovis wait you mother would understand, I understand ,the world would understand, you know you favorite saying the world is yours, so enjoy it" Lelouch said in an attempt to stop his brother.

"The world is your's ? Maybe it will be yours someday Lelouch, I am convinced you are destined for great things, and those where pretty words you spoke just know, "Clovis said and smiled at his little brother.

"But if you want the world, you cannot have it with words alone" he said then pulled the trigger .

A bang was heard and Clovis was now dead.

Author's note

Read and review, let me know if I should continue,.


	4. Phase IV: The day after tommorow

Chapter IV: The day after tommorow

Lelouch was at Ashford , in the student council room, waiting for Millie and the others.

On the news there were reports of how Schneizel , had negotiated a ceasefire with the E.U, within the news sub liners, but the main headline was that, "Prince Clovis die's in Battle"

It had been two days, since Clovis's death and Lelouch true to his late brother's request, made up the story that he died while fighting against the terrorists in Shinjuku, he also had Bartley and the other generals under Clovis arrested for "leaving" his brother unprotected, for Lelouch in his subconscious needed someone to blame, Nunnally had been heartbroken when hearing it and Lelouch shared her sentiment.

For Lelouch owed Clovis and his sister Cornelia a lot, for after his mother's death, the two sibling's restrained, him from going and confronting the emperor, his father, telling him that doing that would do him no good, only get him into trouble, with the emperor, and that Nunnally who was in the hospital needed him more.

Looking back, he realized what a foolish action that might have been and he realized that when he was in his darkest hour Clovis and Cornelia had been, there and had pulled him from the abyss and now, when Clovis was in his darkest hour he could not helped his sibling, this made him feel like he was the one who pulled the trigger.

Just then his trail of thought's was interrupted, by the Student council who came into the room, and Lelouch quickly slipped into his Lamperouge persona, and left what grievance was in his soul for a latter time.

Millie , Shirley Rivals, and Ninna all came into the room.

Millie walked up to him and whispered" You any better" she was the only one among the student council who knew that Lelouch was royalty.

"Yes, don't worry about it" he said back

Shirley then came up to him and said

"Hey Lulu, you know we need supplies for the upcoming school festival, so I was thinking we could go together" she said while fidgeting with her fingers.

Lelouch looked to Millie, and was horrified to see her usual (My mad scientist plan for world domination is working) mode on.

He wondered what had triggered it, but since the subject of female knowledge was alien to him, he did not realized that Shirley was trying to ask him on a date.

"Sure I don't see why not" he said towards Shirley.

Just then his phone rang, he answered it and said" Yes ,thank you for telling me" and then hanged up, he then picked up the TV remote, turned it on and said, "Something, interesting is on the news. It's a rerun of what was broadcasted a few hour s ago."

(A few hours ago ,Narita mountain range, JLF headquarters)

General Katase , and the other officers and leaders of other resistance groups where in a meeting, to discuss the recent happenings from the last few days.

"Do you knot see that this is the time for the resistance to take center stage, with Britannia in disarray from, Clovi's death" Col Kusakabe said, and the group responded with a collected agreement.

"What about The Iron Prince" a voice was heard shouting, and the other's turned their heads to see, much to their surprise that it was Todoh who had said it.

" What about him he is nothing, obviously he does not have the taste for war, his action in Shinjuku, speak volumes of his character, and how he stabbed himself in the palm shows that he clearly is a lunatic, even the nickname which he calls himself by "Zero" is fitting for such an idiot wouldn't you all agree?" Kusakabe said at which the other's laughed whole-heartedly, except for Todoh and his followers'.

"What's the matter, for someone who had defeated him you sure are hesitant, you who were once called Todoh the miracle" Kusakabe said

"All I am saying, is that you thing Lelouch is an idiot, and that he cannot wage war, but I tell you this, the situation at hand is almost too much in our favor, and I cannot but fear that underneath that mask of his lies a sleeping dragon, of which if we anger we will no doubt have to face"

He then turned towards his commander General Katase and said

"General Katase, we underestimated Brittannia 7 years ago, and look what happened ,let us not make the same mistake twice" he said.

"General Katase, tell Colonel Todoh how wrong he is" Kusakabe countered.

"It is not wrong to be cautious"

"You mean timidity, you lack boldness Todoh"

"To be bold, is one thing, to be stupid and reckless is another"

"What did you say" Kusakabe got up and drew his samurai sword, Todoh reached for his.

Just then a man came bursting into the room.

Katase recognized him as one of their communications officers

"What is it" he said towards the young man.

The, young officer took a moment to catch his breath and said"Look at the news the Brittannians are broadcasting" .

They turned on the television present in the room, and started listening to the announcer.

"Following the death of Prince Clovis, his highness Prince Lelouch a.k.a Zero who is acting as temporary governor until a new one can be named, had announced the following reforms , a economic program called "Phoenix fund", in which eleven's will be given loans to start they're businesses, of which they will not be required to pay taxes within their businesses first year of operation, a six months break from the time of acquiring the loan to the time of paying the first interest, from the Phoenix fund, also a tax cut for any business which employ's eleven workers at fair wages, his highness say's…."

The news caster went on and on, about the details, and an eerie silence, struck the JLF headquarters.

Katase then turned off the TV, deciding this had been a very difficult and confusing day, he had the meeting adjourned, and all of the officers left, with mixed feelings about Lelouch or Zero, especially after what they heard on the news.

With the meeting adjourned, Todoh went to watch the rest of the news footage repoft, he then went to the bases garage, took a car and started driving, he decided that desperate times require desperate measures,he told General Katase of his plan and he approved it, and the general who relied on Todoh's advice so much , one could say that Todoh was commanding the JLF not him.

(a few hours ago ,Shinjuku ghetto, Oughi's apartment)

…said, that it was his intention to ,as temporary governor help the eleven population recover they're lively hood back, he is also announcing, the arrest of dozens of politicians, business men, on charges of corruption" the news caster continued.

"Whoa, the man's amazing, he works fast" Tamaki said impressed not knowing, what to think of the recent news.

"What the hell is he thinking", Yoshida said.

"Those reforms mean that well be able to rebuild our homes ,and get our lively hood back" Oughi said with a broad smile on his face, for he would like nothing more, than for the Japanese to get their freedom back, and he did not have a test for spilling blood, even though he was they re leader.

"So it's a good thing" Tamaki said

"But it's bad news for, us id' just had a call from our other members and they are resigning and going back to t their day jobs" Minami said

"Ha I knew those bastards's where up to something" Tamaki said

"But to those who live, if the ghetto's it's good news, also this is also the product of our efforts, maybe Prince Lelouch is not such a bad guy after all" Oughi said.

"That's true, Tamaki said changing his opinion once more.

"That small bit of freedom does not mean the chains of bondage are broken" Kallen yelled.

"Ah…., ah screws this, it's making me confuse, I'm going for a drink" Tamaki said and left the room.

"Anyway, Kallen you should be going to school, it's what Naoto would have wanted for you" Oughi said.

Kallen left the apartment, and after that the other's did as well, except for Tamaki who remained, ten minutes, after that there was a knock at the door.

Tamaki, was pouring himself, some tee he was out of alcohol, and when he heard the knockiyng on the door he went to answer it, and when he heard the door bell, he started seeping the tee and after he finished opening the door, the shock of who was standing at the door made him spit out the tee which was in his mouth.

The person who was standing outside his apartment was Todoh Kioshirou himself, and after a moment in which Tamaki pinched himself, to make sure he was not dreaming he realized that the tee he spat out of his mouth, had splashed Todoh, the fact that he had just spited on Japan's greatest hero made him, freeze from panicked, about his own action.

Todoh for his part was unfazed, for truth be told the car in which he rode here had no air conditioning, and it was a hot day, ouside, that combined with the fact that he was wearing military attire, and over that, he had a trench coat, made him very hot ,and he was in a sense gratefull, if not also shocked and disgusted, for his "reception" or so to speak .

Oughi, came to see who was at the door and the image of Kiseki no Todoh, standing in the door way, shocked him as well.

"You are the leader of the Kouzuki group, am I correct?" he said towards Oughi

"Yes…, that…, that's right" Oughi responded, partially recovered from his shock .

"May I come in? I have something to discuss with you" Todoh said.

Oughi gave a nod Tamaki stepped out of the way and closed the door after Todoh entered.

(Present time, Ashford academy student council room)

Kallen had just entered the student council room, Millie immediately introduced her to Lelouch,

"Kallen Stafield, this is our newest Student Council member, and student at Ashford Lelouch Lamperouge, don't let the appearance fool you, he is a fully fledged duke and head of his house, Lelouch KAllen has frail health so she has been absent for the past few months from school" Millie said.

"A pleasure to meet you, your grace" Kallen said, with a soft and weak voice.

"Just Lelouch miss Stafield, I know it's rather sudden but would, you mind taking a walk with me, where we can share moment in private" Lelouch said to her giving her his best Lady killer look, at which Kallen blushed slightly, and although she wanted to say no, she for god knows what reason said yes, and they both went out hand in hand out of the student council room.

"Hoho, it looks like you have a rival Shirley" Millie said switching from (Mad hatter mod) to soap opera sucker mod on the spot.

"Rivalz for his part just said, that's my pal, he got another victim, made I should ask him for a few tips" Rivalz said mentally to himself.

(Ashford Academy grounds, student café)

Lelouch and Kallen both sat at a table, and enjoyed their respective, pastry order's, Kallen who was mentally scolding herself, for accepting this sleaze- ball's , invitation, and decided to play along and excuse herself as soon as possible.

"Millie said you where head of your house; does that mean your father's dead?" Kallen decided to try to hit a nerve, in order to end the conversation earlier.

"No , the bastard's still alive, but I don't consider him my father anymore" Lelouch said calmly.

Kallen was taken aback by this, since she too had a tense relationship with her father.

"And what about your mother" Kallen now asked.

"She's dead, killed by terrorists, my dad didn't do a god-dam thing about that, and he also didn't cared about Nunnally being crippled and blind from getting caught in the crossfire,…..he said that, the empire has no need for weaklings'." Lelouch said and he took a bite from his cake.

"To hell with you, and your dogma I said, to his face, I then walked out, relinquished my title, and founded my own house," he finished and then took a sip of coffee

Kallen was surprised and found herself with mix, feelings about him'

"But you're a Duke, from where did you get your title if you relinquished it?" she asked curious.

"I bought it" he said.

"With what funds?", Kallen asked.

Lelouch whipped his mouth, gestured for Kallen to come close to him, so he could whisper to her.

"I have quite a talent for chest, one that Rivalz can confirm, you see I play chest for money with the noble's, and I always win, and they play for huge amounts of money, and no to brag but, I have almost every nobleman in Japan, in my debt, so money is not an issue for me you see" he said with a devilish glee.

Kallen was shocked, by his answer and his devilish glee made her blush again.

After a moment she noticed he said Japan and not Area 11 so she decided to, put him through the test of fire and said:

"You know the reason, why everyone hates the Empire, it's because it's a racist, cruel, and despotic nation, which uses a form of slavery called the number's system." At this Kallen, was expecting him to defend, Brittannia's dogma, but what she got shocked her more than ever.

"I agree" Lelouch said.

"What did you just say?" Kallen ask with her mouth wide open.

"I said, I agree" Lelouch calmly said and took another bite from his cake.

This had made Kallen go silent for a moment, so not knowing what to do she decided, to continue they're conversation.

"So what do you intend to do about it?" Kallen asked for she had met or heard other men who did not like Brittannia but were unable or unwilling to change it.

"I intend to change it" Lelouch said and he pulled out a flyer, from his jacket.

Kallen picked it up and on it the words "Phoenix Fund" were written on it.

"You're a member?" Kallen asked

"I'm its sponsor and CEO" he said.

For the third time today Kallen, eyes went wide with shock

"But the program's purpose is to rebuild Japan, from where did you get the money" she asked.

Lelouch calmly took another sip of coffee and said

" You know how I said that a lot of nobles loose to me at chest and they play for huge amounts of money, and no to brag but, I have almost every nobleman in Japan, in my debt, so money is not an issue for me you see, I "advised" them to put their money in the Black Bank, which I own, the Black Bank is the one who is financing the Phoenix fund, of course you know how it is, with these industrialization processes and real estate construction, it might be years before the government pays me back the money they borough for the Phoenix fund, and some of the nobles might loose they're fortunes , because of this, a pity but sacrifices must be made, if the Japanese, will have their lives back"

Lelouch word's said that he regretted the nobles loosing they're money, for the cause of rebuilding Japan but his tone suggested that, the idea delighted him.

Kallen for the most part was speechless, at this, she did not expect him to not only share here hatred for Brittannia, but from the conversation with him, Lelouch hated it even more than she did, they both lost loved ones to that country, both where fighting for the number's freedom, that combined with his good, looks made Kallen, feel filled with "unrest" in his presence.

Lelouch saw that Kallen was falling under his spell, another part of his master plan , to have revenge for his mother's death was seemingly falling into place, for Lelouch knew that he had to make alliance with the other noble houses or friendship, unfortunately for him he used too much charm on the ladies, and unknowingly made them think, he was interested in them romantically, the same thing was happening with Kallen, but alas, he merely though he was forming a friendship with her and in celebration, sipped another mouth of coffee from the cup, but then he quickly choked on it, for looking behind Kallen she saw the weary same green haired woman, he saw trapped in Clovis's capsule.

"What's the matter", she said and started turning to look behind herself , but Lelouch quickly grabbed her face, andbrouch they re faces close together , and quickly said "Forgive me but something has come up" he said and ran behind her and grabbed, the green haired woman.

Kallen by now was too much shocked, by his action to turn around and look, she put her hands to her lip's, the fact that she was so close to Lelouch's lips struck her, but even more was the fact, that she didn't really mind that if it was him.

(Lelouch's apartment's Ashford Dormitories)

"Who are you which, and why were you captured in that capsule" Lelouch said while he trusted C.C on the bed.

"Such boldness, your highness, you know that a girl must be wooed before bedded", she said to him.

"How do you know I'm a prince!" he asked, unfazed by her comment

"Like you said, I'm a witch, we witches know these thing's" she said.

"Anyway the reason I disappeared, was that it was very hard for me to escape, and I had too contact you without, being recaptured" she said.

" I am here to offer you a contract"

" I am listening" he said

"I am offering you a power one that will, make you invincible, the power of the king, but the price of that power will be loneliness, and everyone will eventually hate you"

" Is that the only, price" Lelouch responded.

"No, you must also in return grant me my wish" she said

Lelouch pondered her offer for a moment and the opened his mouth to respond

(Hi-TV editorial room)

Diethard Reed, was currently writing his résumé, and intending on presenting it to Zero, to join his service, for thru fully, he was mow very interested at being as close as possible to the action.

When he first heard of the Iron Prince's exploits, he thought that it was just propaganda, but when he met him in person, and saw him in action with his very own eyes, he was shocked, seeing how he handled himself in Shinjuku, his voice his mannerism, it was like seeing Marlon Brandon, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable , or any other great actor from the past, performing live on stage.

"A show, a stage that is what it all, was to him!" he said out loud to himself.

Diethard felt as giddy as a schoolgirl, with her first crush, sometime inside him told him that, of this his era's Titans' he was one of them, and he couldn't help but wondering what, not who is under that mask, was it really human, was it a demon,or was it the New Age, which had descended to earth in human form.

(Outside the capital of the Eastern Federation)

"I major Halibut commander of the emir's army's, hereby sign the ceasefire-agreement between, The Eastern Federation and the Holy Empire of Brittannia" he said in English as best as he could, and signed the document.

"I Chief of Staff Cornelia di Brittannia accept" she said and put her own signature on the document.

Major Halibut then rolled up the document and was preparing to return to his own camp, when he was stopped by a question from Cornelia.

"Forgive my rudeness, but isn't an army usually commanded, by a general, why did he sent you here to surrender, when it should have been him who does so" Cornelia said.

Major Halibut, then turned around, tightened his fist in rage, something which was not unnoticed by Cornelia, nor by Dalton and Guilford who were flanking they re commander on the left and right side.

"I am offering the surrendering the army's and accepting the cease-fire, because I am the highest ranking officer which has survived the war against your army's, Princess" he said and gave a small bow of the head to her, and then quickly turned around and walked off, so he may not see her smug expression.

Satisfied with the answer, Cornelia returned to her mobile command center, which had served as her house for the past few months.

"Ironic isn't it" she said towards her two lieutenants.

"What is my lady" asked Guilford.

"If Lelouch had not done, that crazy gamble in Siberia, the E.U would still be in the war against us and would have still been supporting the Eastern Federation, only without they're aide where they forced to surrender, and we would have in a few weeks time conquered all of Asia Minor, victory for us, meant the survival of their Country for them" she said with a smile.

" Still I am proud of Lelouch, and the tutoring you gave him Dalton seems to have paid of " she said looking at him, at which Dalton only smiled and said, "I only polished an already perfect statue my lady."

Cornelia smiled at this and once she reached the command center, she immediately went to the hr room, they're she saw her little sister writing a letter.

"Hello sister" Euphemia said, while still writing her letter.

"Hello Euphie" Cornelia said, while she went to the fridge, and pulled out a bottle if ice tea, to cool her trought.

She watched her little sister, write her letters, she brought Euphie along for her, she did not like leaving her alone in Pendragon with does vultures and scavengers, with they're plans and plot's, she wanted her sister,not to be involved in the dark side of the nobility, keep her soul free and pure.

She looked and saw that Euphie was in fact working, oh her 3th letter, the other's she saw from looking at the envelope's were addressed to Lelouch ,Nunnally probably to help them with they're recent grief from what happened to Clovis.

But then she notice something strange , her sister was writing from up to down ,instead of left to right.

"Who's that letter addressed to she asked her sister"

Euphie, stopped writing, looked up at her sister' with an expression of her face of "Oh no I'm busted", and nervously said "No one".

Cornelia quickly snatched, the letter away and noticed, that it was not written with English words.

"Euhphie this is in Japanese, you're writing that Kururugi boy again aren't you" she said with a look at dismay at her sister, and she took a sip of ice tee.

At this Euphemia, started fidgeting with her finger, from embarrassment.

"It's like what your twentieth letter to him in a week" Cornelia said.

"Eighteenth, actually" Euphie responded.

At this Cornelia took, another sip of ice –tee, she was no fool and knew that her sister had a crush on that boy ever since she met him when they visited Lelouch at West Point, Cornelia, when she first found out about this warned Kururugi, that if he ever tried to do something perverted to her sister, she would apply medieval torture's upon him, which would make those used in the Spanish inquisition. Seem like a gentle massage, that and the fact that when she told him this, she was dangling him upside down, from the roof, of west point's clock tower.

She thought, that he would eventually give into his hormones, and then she could go gun-ho on him, but , by God the boy kept his word, and , he acted like a perfect gentleman with her sister, hell he was even more cavalier, than the aristocrats back home, it was not that he was an Eleven, it was the idea of any boy, touching and soiling, her pure little angel of a sister made her boil with fury.

"You will not have to write him letter's anymore, tomorrow where going to Area 11 (Japan sister, Euhphie interjected),…. Alright Japan then" she said

At this news, Euphie jumped in her sister's arms, for herself Cornelia was happy that her sister was happy, and for a moment she thought on easing up on Kururugi.

"Arrigatou one-sama " Euphie said.

At this the smile from Cornelia's face, disappeared.

"Did you just speak Japanese" she said breaking the hug with Euphie, at this Euphie put a hand, behind her head, laughed, then gave herself a slight punch on the forehead, and sticked out her tong .

"And you're doing gestures from anime!1" Cornelia shouted out loud.

"For God's sake Euphie, first the language, then you learn how to write in Japanese and now your acting like one? What's next? Where you planning on appearing before Lelouch and the other's in a kimono by any chance?" Cornelia said out loud.

Just then a knock on the door was heard and a servant girl entered the room.

"Princess Euphemia the Kimono you ordered has arrived" the servant said.

Upon hearing that sentence, Cornelia, turned around towards the servant gave here her most frightening look and growled the most menacing growl she could, which made the servant girl scream and run away.

She then picked up the white kimono, with cherry blossom petal's for decoration, then looked up at her sister, who was giving her, the "Pwease downt'be angwhy sister" look, which needless to say always worked on Cornelia, and the scowl on her face disappeared.

She the mentally said to herself, "Go easy on Kururugi my ass, I better start buying the torture equipment right away" she said to herself.

Author's note

Please read and review, let me know if I should continue.


	5. Phase V: Interludes and preparations

Faze V: Interludes and preparations

(Lelouch's apartment, Ashford Academy)

"The answer is no, if it is a Faustian deal you are offering I refuse, but if you are offering an alliance, the answer is yes" Lelouch said, while he turned around and looked out the window.

And at his response C.C felt something inside her, something of which she after centuries of life, and with an encyclopedia of knowledge of almost every secret of the world and of human nature felt something which she almost forgot possible, it was confusion.

"What do you mean, that does not make any sense" she retorted.

"From what you've told me your offer is for me to become a demon, one that would have the power to change the world" He said with his back-side turned to her.

C.C gave a nod of the head which meant yes.

"But I ask you this,(He said with a thundering voice, while he turned towards C.C) does a demon have the right to decide humanity's faith?" Lelouch said, at which C.C was unmoved

"I ask of you, who would succeed you using witchcraft instead of one's own skill" he said.

"Napoleon, Stalin, Alexander the Great, Genghis Han, Oda Nobunaga, these are all men who had the power of Geass" C.C retorted.

"And all of them failed" Lelouch responded, and this statement made C.C change her expression from poker face indifference too the one of a person who was starting to receive the answers to the questions which had tormented her all her life.

Lelouch seeing her change in facial expression, smiled his most devilish and satisfied smile of all to her and said.

"I am guessing from what you just told me that you're much older than you look, centuries, maybe millennium's ( C.C nodded her head in response), and you also gave this power to men who were charismatic, and talented who where leader's amongst men, (C.C gave another node), and all these "warlock's" so to speak they all failed, do you know why?" he asked her.

C.C by now was even more confused, for this boy seemingly, was very much a man and had here intrigued "No why did they failed" she asked now curious.

"They failed because from the moment they accepted the power, they were no longer human, they were demon's and God, fate or whatever force that governs this world has a way of evening the odds, for only a human can judge and decide the fate of humanity, You (he said while pointing a finger at her) you have always done the same thing over and over the centuries, and over and over again it ended in failure, yet you never considered changing your methods of operation, so I will point out to you a different way of earning your goal " he said towards her.

At this C.C was shocked and also insulted but enlightened at the same time, she never considered her method to be wrong, but at the same time insulted that this 17 year old boy thought he knew more that she did, but before she could respond Lelouch continued.

"Instead of turning one who has ability into a demon and becoming his ally, become his ally without making him a demon, for a demon does not have the right to decide humanity's fate , but I don't recall anyone's saying a human who has a demon as an ally doesn't" he said and thus took a few steps towards her and his hand which was pointing at her turned into a hand of one prepared to take her hand into a shake.

" Once again I accept your offer of alliance but I reject your offer of power, for in my opinion, that power would mean cutting corners and nothing worthwhile is done by cutting corners, and that is the reason, the one who could change the world without cutting corner's simply had not been born yet" he said and waited for her response.

C.C was now speechless,(Could it really be that simple, could that really be the answer of why all those geass user's failed, that all those countries and empire's failed ,because the method used to create them was wrong, that the one man who would bring forth the age of peace had simply not have been born yet?) she thought to herself, as much as her mind told her from wisdom brought about from centuries of life, something which she thought extinct for centuries told her to believe him.

It was her heart, also she thought to herself that (I tried the same thing for centuries, suppose I could try something different,").

"Are you saying that you are that person?" she said her usual devilish smile curious about his response.

Lelouch, grinned for her answer showed that she was no fool, and then gave her the following answer:

"The only way you are going to discover the answer to that question is for you to join me, and accept my contract, you give me your allegiance and I will try to accomplish your wish, whatever it is" he said.

C.C was shocked, because for the first time in history someone was offering her a contract!, not the other way around.

"Alright I accept you're contract boy" she said and shook his hand, and when doing that it felt like some supernatural force had just filled her body and soul.

"Welcome aboard miss?"

"You may call me C.C " she said.

"C.C then" he said, just then his cell phone rang and he broke the hand shake and answered it.

"Yes, thank you brother for giving me a head's up" Lelouch said and hung up the phone."Please excuse me, I just remembered I have somewhere to go, remain in this room" he said and then exited the room.

"Hah, he really is yours and Charles's son Marianne, and I am rather glad that I did not give him geass, I have a feeling that it would get in his way more than help him" she said

(Six houses of Kyoto secret meeting room)

"What do you all make of him, this Zero?" one member of the six houses asked.

"The Iron Prince seems like the one good apple in a barrel full of rotten ones, the reforms he made did allow many of our people to regain they re livelihood, and even as we speak the country is being rebuilt" the second member said.

"We should not be so easily fooled by his apparent generosity" Taizo Kirihara said.

"What do you mean Kirihara-dono" the fourth member asked.

"Have we lived so long, that we have become senile and forgotten the oldest trick in the world, to make us look at his left hand while he attacks with his right" Taizo answered.

"The reforms he has carried out are building support for him, for his action's both with he carried out in Shinjuku and his reform's he is looked upon by the brittannian commoner's as a hero, a benevolent prince, the military give's him tey're support because of his exploits in Siberia ,he is even lookwed upon with well eyes amongst our own people,there is even a small minority who consider him a saviour and I fear his popularity is growing everyday, we even have reports that whole terrorist cell's have disbanded and gone to seek employment now that they can get a decent paycheck." Kirihara said.

"That is preposterous, are you actually suggesting that the Japanese might actually accept him as the country's leader" the second member said.

"The love of the people is fickle, they love those who ensure their lives are peaceful and prosperous and hate those who bring war, famine and destruction to the land," the voice of Kaguya Summeragi was heard from behind a curtain.

"For decades the people have know only leaders who brought despair to the country, the people want a savior, Prince Lelouch is the first to bring them some measure of hope for tomorrow, it is only natural that they should flock to such a person" Kaguya finished.

Kirihara looked at her and knew that despite her age and gender her words contained great wisdom.

"And what do you suggest we do Kaguya-dono" Kirihara asked.

"From his actions, it is obvious that he wants to earn the people's support, therefore is suggest we prepare our forces for war, but we must not strike the first blow because I believe that is what Lelouch wants us to do in order to brand the resistance as murderer's and terrorists instead of freedom fighters.

"We must wait for him to do so, also I suggest we tell the resistance to stop anti-government activities ,that way Lelouch might be caught off guard" she said and paused to let this information sink in .

"That is a good plan, Kaguya –dono and it will be considered , but for now I suggest we wait, who knows Lelouch might actually be doing this out of compassion and not for political gain" Kirihara said, he knew that what he said was a lie, and that Kaguyas plan was the best course of action, but a leader must not say yes to any suggestion one off lower rank says on the spot even if it is the best decision to make for, if he does he cannot call himself a leader at all.

(Narita mountain range, JLF secret base, main garage)

"Attention!" the voice of Senba Ryoga was heard and all those present snapped to it.

"At ease "he said and Col Todoh started to inspect the lineup of hundred's off new recruits for the JLF, among them was Kallen and the rest of the members of her brothers resistance cell, Todoh had gone to Oughi's apartment to try and recruit Kallen for the JLF, for he had heard of her skills as a warrior and as he knew that a great battle would befall them soon, so he decided that they would need all the strong warriors they could get.

Kallen for the most part was startled at the way things were moving for her, one moment she was still petrified from her recent "conversation" with Duke Lelouch, the next she was being phoned by Oughi to return to the apartment as fast as she could get there.

When she heard of Col Todoh's offer to join the JLF as a knightmare pilot, but she refused unless her friends could join too, she remained unmoved on this matter despite Tamaki and Oughi telling them that she should say yes, but she stood her ground until Col Todoh accepted.

For Todoh it was not so hard to accept the rest of her comrades into the JLF, even if they weren't much in terms of being soldiers ,they were a great for morale, since officially Clovis died fighting terrorists in Shinjuku ,namely them.

So it brought a great deal of good moral to the soldiers present to have the "Slayers of Royalty" join they're ranks as they were dubbed.

"As you all know you have all been selected to join the JLF, and during the next few days you will be tested for you fighting skills and those of you who are good will receive knightmare's" Todoh said.

"Why waste our resources with training ,when we should be fighting Brittannia" the voice of Lt Col Kusakabe was heard from behind Todoh.

Kusakabe then took a few steps forward followed by his subordinates until he was face to face with Todoh and his "Four Holy Swords" and said "Why are you wasting your time with them, we should be going on the offensive" Kusakabe's soldiers then gave a collective yes response, even some of the new recruit's agreed.

"Especially now with that timid little Tin-man leading Brittannia, why that fool Zero is such a coward he doesn't even show his own face" Kusakabe said and got another collective yes response from those around him only louder and with more participant's.

"His actions show that he has not the taste for war, he is a timid little insect which we shall crush, all we have to do is ram the door, and the whole rotten building which is Brittannia will collapse on itself" Kusakabe roared and a round of applause came from his men and even some of the new recruits.

"Do not be fools" Todoh roared out silencing the whole room.

"His actions in Shinjuku only prove that mercy is amongst his quality's, and a commander who is merciful is not a weak one, also to those of you who doubt his military ability, let me remind you that only a few weeks ago the E.U also considered Zero as nothing more than an insect" he silenced himself for a moment to let the information sink in and then continued

"But he proved them wrong in Siberia, with one blow he knocked the E.U out of the war, and when the E.U heard of it, they gave him the nickname "Niddhog" which means the dragon who brings destruction" Todoh paused once more and saw that they're zeal for battle or rather for suicide had died out , he then turned to Kusakabe, walked up to the man until there was only a food distance between the're faces and said.

"We must not make the same mistakes as the E.U, we must not be reckless, if we do that, then we shall be at his mercy" he said and at this all Katase could do was walk away angrily from the whole scene.

"That will be all for today, tomorrow we start training, for now you all should go to your bunks" he finished and the crowd started to disperse.

"Kouzuki you remain, I must have a word with you " Todoh said

Kallen was about ready to go when she heard him, so she walked up to him and saluted.

"Yes sir, what is it that you wish to say sir" Kallen asked trying her best to act like a real soldier.

"Come with us" Todoh said and Kallen followed him and his four holy swords, eventually, he stopped in front of a massive canvass which was covering something tall.

Todoh pulled down the canvass only to reveal a red knightmare frame.

"Gurren Mark 2 , the first true blue Japanese manufactured knightamre frame, here is the instruction manual and the ignition key" Todoh said while he presented to her the above mentioned objects.

" Colonel, your are giving our greatest weapon to a raw recruit, such a weapon should be piloted by you Colonel to protect you life on the batlefield" Chiba said partially out of concern and jealousy since Todoh apparently was favoring Kallen.

"Hold your tongue lieutenant, I have seen security footage with her in action I can honestly say that she is as good a pilot as I am, if not even better, and also" Todoh said while taking a heavy breath of air and then exhaling it out loudly trough his mouth "…Also we have the burais and they will be enough for us, right know we are going toned all the skilled pilots we can muster" he finished.

Chiba was shocked by his response and even more shocked that he used her rank and not her name when addressing her, he only did that to people with whom he was very angry and the thought of she making Todoh be angry at her or hating her made her very sad.

"Is Lelouch really such a dangerous opponent, he doesn't seem like the type to kill without reason Colonel?" Senba asked.

"Do not let that cloud you're judgment, even the most benevolent of king's and prince's must destroy, imprison or disable those who oppose they're rule, and that is exactly who we are, when "The Iron Prince" finds a reason to come after us, he will, and we must prepare for that day" Todoh said and walked away followed by Ryoga, Senba, Chiba and Urabe leaving Kallen to marvel at the gift she had been given.

Todoh after that dismissed the Four Holy Swords, and went to his personal quarter's to relax, he placed his sword oh it's holster, seated himself on the bed which was in his room took of his shirt,and took a sake cup from the table, he was about to pour himself some tee when a knock was heard at his door.

"Colonel sir, it's me Chiba, I'd like to talk to you sir".

"Come on in" Todoh responded.

Chiba entered the room gave a military salute which Todoh returned in kind, and stood in standard military posture and said "I am sorry for my outburst Colonel, it was very unprofessional off me" she said with a tone of shame and sadness in her eyes, and Todoh could notice that she was fighting back from breaking down and crying right in front of him.

" At ease Chiba, I'm also sorry for the way I yelled at you, and I hope you can forgive me" Todoh said and motioned for her to sit next to him on the bed.

Once seated in the bed next to Todoh Chiba's emotions went from shame and embarrassment to shyness, excitement, and a shade of pink appeared oh her cheeks, from being with Todoh alone in his room, seated next to the man she loved, on his bed, that and the fact that he was shirtless made for a situation which made the soldier in her disappeared and the woman inside her awakened.

She then quickly took the bottle of tee from the table and poured some into Todoh's cup.

"Could you please give me some of those aspirin tablets in the second drawer from the table next to you" Todoh said.

Chiba did this fast, and did not bother to properly look through the drawer which had more than one box of tablets within it, and gave two to the Colonel, she did this quickly because of their previously mentioned sitting arrangements.

"Can I have one of those aspirins " she asked.

Todoh nodded gave her one, then he himself took two.

"Chiba, I hope to God that I'm wrong about Zero, I hope to God that Kusakabe is right about Lelouch" he said and turned towards her his face only inches from her which made Chiba's heart beat so loud she could hear it, she could hardly believe this was happening and she was wondering if this wasn't some dream.

All of a sudden Todoh pressed onto her and pushed her on her back with him above her, this made her freeze, and the force of the impact made the tee bottle next to the table spill on top of them wetting their clothes

"Colonel, wait this is all going to fast, I've never been with a man before….but it's alright if it's you, …I…. I am yours" she said as she closed her eyes in anticipation waiting for Todoh to take her.

Except he was doing that, hell he wasn't doing anything at all, she opened her eyes "Colone?l" she said in confusion, she then rolled him to her right and of off her so that he was lying on his back on the bed and she noticed that he was with his eyes closed and not moving "Colonel?" she said alarmed, as she was trying to shake him awake.

She was panicking not knowing what to do, she then remembered, they were both wet , and her soldier training kicked in and she took of both their clothes which only left both Todoh and her in their respective underwear, the fact that this training was for when the temperature was low enough to make you freeze to death in wet clothes' and the fact that the room was hot enough to make a lizard feel warm escaped her as she was no thinking straight from Todoh current predicament.

Then she remembered the box of aspirin's which both of them took and looked at it, realizing to her horror that she by mistake gave the Colonel sleeping pills, not aspirins, this made ever panic even more.

"Oh my God!, Colonel wake up" she said as she got on top of his stomach and started C.P.R ,she massaged his chest several times, she then opened his mouth with her hands, put her mouth to his and was about to administer him artificial breading, when all of a sudden she became dizzy, and subsequently fell asleep as well for she also took a sleeping pill thinking it was aspirin, as Chiba fell asleep her hands slipped from Todoh's mouth to around his neck , and her feet unconsciously became entangled with his .

"Colonel Todoh, may I have a word with you…." Ryoga said as he entered the room, and he stopped in mid sentence when he saw the sight before him.

Only to be surprised of the sight of a seemingly naked Todoh, with Chiba in her underwear on top of him ,and the bought of them were asleep with lips locked and legs intertwined, that and the fact that they're skins were wet seemed to indicate great passion.

He then silently closed the room, so as not to disturb the two "lovebirds" and he went down the hallway." Looks like Chiba finally got the Colonel to fall for her" he said to himself, and filled with happiness for his friend and commander strolled down the hallway with a broad smile on his face.

(Ashford Academy grounds hallway towards main entrance)

Lelouch walked the hallways feeling more pleased with himself than he has ever been in his whole life. "I can't believe that hogwash worked on her," ,Lelouch said in his mind.

Lelouch knew that what he just said was completely false, for he knew that results matter above all else, methods are irrelevant and if he himself would have obeyed the ideals he presented to C.C he doubted he would have even graduated from West Point.

But the reason why Lelouch refused her offer was actually simple, IT DIDN'T TAKE A GENIUS TO UNDERSTAND THAT MAKING A DEAL LIKE THAT WAS CRAZY, he mentally shouted to himself.

He was a man who read a lot and knew that in the end every person who made such a deal eventually lost everything, and anything which they strode to achieve followed them into nothingness.

The fates of the above mentioned men "Napoleon, Stalin, Alexander the Great, Genghis Han, Oda Nobunaga", showed that this was true , so Lelouch decided to learn from his "predecessors" or so to speak.

He then thought to himself, that he best keep such a dangerous woman nearby himself at all time, and better for her to be an ally then an enemy and so in a split second he mentally calculated 500 possible scenarios in which he could get her to become his ally without that power of geass being a necessaty.

Out of the one scenario that had the highest chance of success, it itself had only 3% chance, but somehow it worked.

"Sometimes you even scare me" Lelouch said to his grinning reflection in the mirror which was placed on the hallway's walls, and after a few short step's walked outside in the courtyard.

" Well where's Shirley I thought we were supposed to get supply's" he said to wards Suzaku, who was apparently waiting for him.

"She's angry with you, you playboy" he said with a smile on his face and gave a light tap on Lelouch's shoulder.

"What for?" he asked confused.

Suzaku merely rolled his eyes, shook his head and said"You're hopeless, let's just forget about it, here's the list of supplies"he said.

Suzaku knew that when it came to understanding women, Lelouch was an amateur.

So the two friends went to the shopping district to acquire them, after that they for Rivalz to come with Lelouch's car to take them back towards Ashford.

"Oh, I wanted to be the one to tell you, the Phoenix fund is ready to start rebuilding the country and construction should begin in three days" Lelouch told Suzaku.

"That's wonderful news" Suzaku replied with an earnest smile, for he was happy that his people's lives where improving, and the fact that it was being achieved through non violent means pleased him even more.

"Also the new Governor will be arriving tonight "Lelouch finished.

"Do you know who it is?" Suzaku asked curiously.

"No, he won't be too much of a problem, you know how politicians are all grovel and no bite" he said with a small chuckle, which Suzaku reciprocities.

Just then a beautiful red jaguar pulled up on front of them and the driver's seat window went down revealing Rivalz.

"Hey guys hop on in" he said, the two men then loaded the supplies in the trunk and entered the car, with Suzaku in riding shotgun and Lelouch behind Rivalz.

"Hey Lelouch, want go gambling tonight?" Rivalz asked.

"Sorry Rivalz, I'm afraid I can't do that tonight, I have work to do, with the Phoenix fund" He replied.

"Ah man, why don't you just dump that on one of your servants, that Zero guy works you to hard" Rivalz asked disappointed, for seeing Lelouch mop the floor with his chess opponent's was the best show in town to him.

"Yes, I'd say Prince Lelouch is the biggest slave driver, and ass-hole this side of the globe" Lelouch replied which earned him a chuckle from Rivalz and a bemused look from Suzaku.

The three then arrived at Ashford's parking lot, and started to unload the supplies, and just as Lelouch was walking away he turned to Rivalz and said :

"You're 18th birthday is three months from now right?" Lelouch said

Rivalz gave a nod.

"Do you like the car" he asked.

"Are you kidding ? It is magnificent!" Rivalz replied while caressing the dashboard.

"Good cause it's yours," Lelouch replied.

At this Rivalz was speechless, and after his brains took a moment to pause and reboot he replied

"Are you serious!,you are actually giving me this !"Rivalz said.

"Happy birthday my friend" Lelouch replied.

At this Rivalz jumped out of the driver's seat, caught Lelouch head with his hands, said: "Thank you, oh! Thank you Lelouch", and he was so overcome with joy he gave Lelouch a kiss on the lip's.

A moment later both Lelouch and Rivalz we're coughing, spiting and wiping they're mouths in disgust.

" I'm sorry , i was just so overcome with happiness, and to be fair if you want to you can be prettier that most girl's I know,…not that I swing that way….I mean! That if I did ,I'd consider you attractive…I mean!" Rivalz was caught off by a raise of the hand by Lelouch who responded" It's alright …now why don't you take the car for a spin" .

At this Rivalz did not hesitate, and immediately started to burn some rubber, Lelouch was happy that Rivalz enjoyed his gift, it was Lelouch own way of thanking him for being his friend, and he had few friends in this world, which helped brighten his dark view upon it.

"Wow! You gave him a jaguar, what are you planning on giving me for my 18th birthday, a jumbo jet?" Suzaku asked with a slight hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Great! Now you've spoiled the surprise" he said and booth Lelouch and Suzaku continued towards the student council room while sharing a laugh.

(Narita Mountains, JLF secret base, LT .Col Kusakabe's private quarters)

"As you all know I've summoned you here because I like me you feel that the time for our Japan Liberation Front to take center stage has arrived" Kusakabe said, and receive a collective approval from those gathered around him.

"Also, like me you feel our leader's are not up to the task" he continued.

"Are you suggesting a coup d'état, Colonel?" one of the men present asked.

"Heaven's no, I am merely saying that we need to show General Katase and that coward Todoh that the hour is upon us and we must act" he replied .

"And what do you suggest we do, sir" another one of the soldiers present asked.

At this question Kusakabe smiled and pulled out a map, and laid it out on a nearby table.

"We shall strike the Brittania's where it will hurt them the most" he replied and started to go over his plan

Author's note

Some of you may feel disappointed that Lelouch did not accept the contract, but who knows the future is still unwritten so read and review to find out what happens next.

In my opinion Lelouch only accepted C.C offer because he was in a desperate situation, if it were in any other case he would have refused, simply because by accepting the power he would be indebted to C.C and be partially under her control, and the last person which had such a power over Lelouch was his father, and we all know how he feels about his father.

Also in my opinion Geass cost him more than what he earned from it, he accidentally massacred 100.000 people, he was forced to kill Euphemia, it made the black knight's betray him.

Also towards the end of the TV show he began to rely less and less on his wits and more on his geass, and one of the reasons he is my favorite character is because of his intelligence and his brilliant plan's, this in my opinion is how thing's would have progressed if there was no geass, and if Lelouch remained a prince.

Also i will be taking a break from the main story to write a prequel called "Code Geass: Niddhog", which will chronicle Lelouch's exployts in Siberia which has been referenced troughout this story, after that I will return to the main story.

Anyway, please read and review, let me know if I should continue.


	6. Phase VI:The Last night of love and the

Phase VI: The Last night of love and the first day of war

(Governor Palace private airfield, nighttime)

Lelouch and Suzaku along with Jeremiah, Viletta and Kewell where standing on the landing strip, both were in their respective disguises and before them the plane which carried the new governor general had just landed, and the doors where starting to open.

"Lelouch!, Suzaku!" a voice was heard and suddenly Euphemia jumped out of the air plane door and gave both of them a hug.

Lelouch was happy to see his sister, and moment after she let go off the two of them he said:

"Good to see you Euphie, are you by any change the new governor?" Lelouch asked.

Euphie by now was not hugging the both of them, but she still had her hands around Suzaku and said: "No, I'm just the vice governor."

"I am the new governor" A voice was heard from behind Euphie and Cornelia appeared, flanked by her two knights Darlton and Guilford.

"Come here you two Darlton immediately went towards the two young men and gave both of them a bear hug, and lifted them from the ground, "How are my favorite students, hah, hah, I 'we followed your progress since you two graduated from West Point" .

The truth was that Lelouch was no good for physical shape and Suzaku was an anti-talent when it came to studying, so Cornelia made Darlton they're tutor which explained Darlton's unprofessional behavior towards t he two.

"Good to see you Darlton-sensei" Suzaku replied.

"If you don't mind letting us breath we would be grateful" Lelouch replied also.

Darlton immediately set them down.

"Well sorry, how can I tell if I was squeezing you too hard with you you're highness wearing a fishbowl on your head, and you captain wearing a oversized smiley face badge" Darlton replied to the two.

"Intel is essential, the less Intel your enemy has upon you, the better" Lelouch replied still catching his breath.

"I see that Darlton had tough you well, and the Lessons learned have been put to good use" Cornelia replied.

A few moments later the group was inside the governor's palace, and we're sitting inside the main office.

"Quite the shindig you have here Lelouch" Cornelia remarked while admiring the view from outside.

"It's you office now Cornelia, I am glad you are the new governor, cause I've been meaning to ask off you something , but I've never had the opportunity up until now." Lelouch replied.

Cornelia turned around to face him and asked "Well what is it?"

Lelouch asked that he and Cornelia be left alone and the others followed his request and left the room.

"Permission to raise an army" Lelouch replied and at this Cornelia was horrified, she had tried to stop her brother from going into the military since she was the one who raised and protected Lelouch and Nunnally after Empress Marianne had died, she hated the though oh him dying on a battlefield, and had not even known about his mission to Siberia until after he finished it, and now he was asking her for an army to lead to the field where death dance's and sings it's merry songs.

"I understand what you're asking, but currently we have a ceasefire with the E.U and we are not engaged in any war with the Chinese Federation so I do not see why"

"The war is not over, it will begin sooner then you are telling me" Lelouch snapped at her, which shocked Cornelia for she had known her little brother to be a man of patience who always maintain a cool head.

"You and I both know that is the truth….., sister" he said while he took of his mask held it in his hands in a manner which showed respect and obedience and with the calmest voice he could muster.

"Sister, after Siberia you elevated me with three ranks as a reward, I thank you for that and I in turn have given my subordinates ranks in according with their talents, but …." He paused and took a breath of air; he then exhaled and with a slight angry tone in his voice said:

"I am a major general without a army corps, Jeremiah is a brigadier general without a division, Kewell and Viletta are Brigadiers without regiments, and Suzaku is my captain of the guard without a royal guard!,"

"Sister I did not go through all the crap they put us trough at West point so I can say "I am an officer", no I went through it to get an army, to fight, and to prove to all those nobles and politicians back home who say I am nothing more than the worthless son of a commoner whore, who got her rank by sexual favors wrong!" he roared out the last part and slammed his fist on the table.

He then retracted his fist, stood up straight and finished his statement by saying:

"If you don't give me a commission, then I while resign from the army, you know that I have the necessary skills to lead it, and if you do not give me one then there is no point in me continuing to hold the rank of Major general" with a tremble in his voice and waited for an answer.

Cornelia at this was speechless; she knew all that Lelouch said was true, he had the necessary skills to lead, he shown that during the war games at West Point and most recently during Siberia, if it had been anyone else she would have given him an army long ago, but the fear of losing her little brother, that combined with the fact that Clovis had just died a few days ago made this even harder for her.

"Alright General, you have permission to raise an army" Cornelia hesitantly, but with a commanding tone replied.

"Do I have permission to raise the troops without external interference?" Lelouch asked.

Cornelia knew that by that he meant that he would probably use numbers in his forces; Lelouch was sympathetic to them ever since Japan was invaded.

"You have" she replied with a nod.

"Thank you,…..oh by the way I have another request of you" Lelouch said with a trembling voice.

"What is it?" Cornelia asked confused, and slightly unsettled at Lelouch's voice.

"Can you call a doctor? My hand is bleeding" He said he then surrounded his injured hand with his healthy one and leaned forward from the pain.

At this sigh Cornelia jumped out from where she was standing quickly over to Lelouch, horrified and panicked and what was happening.

"A doctor, we need a doctor" she shouted

"How did this happen, you only slammed it on the desk! Cornelia asked.

"It's the same hand from Shinjuku; I must have opened the wound." Lelouch replied with his voice clearly in pain and gasping.

Cornelia's eyes went wide with amazement.

"You actually stabbed yourself in the hand; I thought that was just a parlor trick!" She then grabbed Lelouch's ear by the lobe with her fingers and said:

"You are in big trouble mister!" a moment latter the doctor came in the room followed by the others who a few moments later left the room, the sight of a bleeding Lelouch with Cornelia holding him by the ear made them momentarily pause from the sheer weirdness of the situation, but the doctor snapped back to it and went to treat him.

(The next morning; Outside the governor's palace.)

Suzaku was now dressed in civilian clothes and was planning on enjoying his day off, when all of a sudden he heard a voice from above.

" Look out" Euphie cried as she jumped from a rope of bed sheets right onto Suzaku, who caught her.

"Euphemia-sama! What are you doing?"He asked while he put her down

"I want to see the city, but my sister insists that it's too dangerous, and didn't I tell you too call me Euphie?" she retorted.

At this Suzaku blushed slightly and was having a hard time finding the right words, but before he could respond he saw, that Euphie was tending to a wounded cat.

"Meow, meow, are you alright meow?" she said to the cat and he immediately warmed up to her.

Euphie picked up the cat and said "Looks like he is injured"

Suzaku walked over and attempted to pet the cat, but his attempt was in vain for the cat responded by biting his hand.

A few minutes later Suzaku's hand was wrapped in bandage and Euphie was feeding the wounded cat which was now bandaged.

"Do you hate cast" Euphie asked.

"No I love them, but it seems my love is unrequited" he replied and tried to pet the cat, but he received a hiss.

"That is just like you Suzaku, unrequited love is a sign of a gentle heart, ….although you have problems when it's requited love" she whispered the last part.

"What was that?" he asked.

"N…..Nothing!" Euphie asked with a blush on her face.

"Anyway, I'd like to see the ghetto, would you take me there?" Euphie asked, Suzaku was hesitant, since it would be dangerous, but she threatened to use her rank so he complied.

(Shinjuku ghetto)

The ghetto was a poor excuse for a district, bombed buildings, no water, no electricity.

"Suzaku, my brother died here in Shinjuku against terrorists didn't he?" she asked and Suzaku nodded , Lelouch had confined in him that Clovis shot himself, but they decided to tell Euphie that he was a brave man who died on the battlefield, rather than a loony who shot himself out of fear from his father.

"Something tells me I should hate them for what they done,… but I do not,…. also looking at how they live I cannot help but say that they have a good reason to fight us "bloodthirsty Britannia's" she said with a fake chuckle.

Suzaku wanted to tell her that things were going to change, but he did not have time for he saw a couple off students being molested by three Japanese.

He quickly rushed over, followed by Euphie to intervene.

"Please stop this, where all on the same side" he said at which Tamaki who was one of the three men looked at him and Euphie and replied" Stay out of this" and showed him a little, making the sunglasses which Suzaku was wearying fall from his face.

Tamaki looked astound now at Suzaku and said: "What the hell, you're Japanese and you protect these Brittanian scum!" he then looked at Euphie and remarked "Wait a minute!, you must be one of those Honorary Britannia's, and I bet that girl you're little british whore," Tamaki said while looking at Euphie again "YOU SOLD YOU"RE FRIENDS AND YOU'RE SOUL JUST SO YOU CAN HAVE SOME LITTLE BRITTANIAN PUSSY,AND YOU DARE SAY THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME SIDE!" and lunged at Suzaku.

Suzaku military training kicked in and he quickly dispatched Tamaki, who had to be carried away by the two other's present.

"Ah, they broke my camera, why didn't you kill them, you're an honorary Brittanian, they're elevens, and they're not worth trash" but was stopped by a slap on the face from Euphie who said: "I will not allow you to insult this man".

(Lelouch's quarters, Ashford Academy)

Lelouch was guiding Cornelia towards Nunnally's room.

"So Clovis did not die in battle….." Cornelia said with a breath of exasperation.

"Yes, apparently he was conducting some king of experiment, apparently it was so taboo that he preferred shooting himself rather than facing father's wrath and having his mother pay for his mistake's as he put it" Lelouch replied towards Cornelia.

After the doctor healed his hand and they were alone gain Lelouch decided to confide in Cornelia the truth regarding Clovis's death, for The Witch of Brittannia was not well known for compassion, and if she though the Japanese had killed him, then she would have unleashed her full fury upon the island drowning it in blood.

"Still the eleven's are partially to blame, they still continue to refuse to accept that we are the new masters of this island, they need to be put back into they're place" Cornelia replied.

"They are already live under miserable conditions and the majority of the terrorists fight against us in the hopes that they will create a better future for their children, if we make their current living conditions worsen the fear of our power will be dwarfed by the hatred they have for us, and then even more people will flock to swell the ranks of the terrorists, this fact has been proven by my reforms, our spies in the ghettos have reported that almost 60 % of the terrorist cell's have disbanded so they can benefit from the phoenix fund." Lelouch retorted.

Cornelia listen to Lelouch, and she herself had reservations about the numbers, in her opinion the numbers should have proper living conditions, but they should be segregated from the Brittanian citizens "equal but separate" was her opinion, she was not extremely racist, but she neither was extremely sympathetic.

Amongst the general population of the empire a neutral opinion about the numbers was shared by the majority of Britannia's citizens, they didn't like them but they didn't hate them either.

"No matter how you look at it, the numbers are slaves, and if a slave is set free the first thing he does is take revenge upon his master for him being a slave" Cornelia told Lelouch.

Lelouch knew this too be true and it was a known fact that hatred and a desire for revenge is the one thing which persists the most in human nature, but he also knew that thing's where not that simple so he stopped right outside the door to the living room, turned towards Cornelia and said:

"Unless they're masters are the ones to set them free" Lelouch told Cornelia and paused for a moment before continuing.

"While people may hate a country, a government, a philosophy, which is against them, they will love, fight for and die for a person who fights against it" he finished and saw no change in Cornelia's facial expression so he continued with:

"And it was not the numbers who forced Clovis to blow his brains out, it was fear!... fear that his mother, his uncle, his friends would all pay for his incompetence, we as humans are willing to accept the consequence of our actions, but we are unwilling to let others suffer for our transgressions, that is the kind of country we serve!." Lelouch then took two steps towards Cornelia brought his head closer to her and said with a soft and angry tone:

"How long before I blow my brains out to protect Nunnally? Or you blow yours to protect Euphie? As long as this system remains sooner or later that day will come!" he finished, with a rasp of disgust which was heard as he said the final nine words of the sentence.

Cornelia at this only looked away from him, and shifted her head towards the ground, she knew that Lelouch was right, hell the only one who ever managed to win a debate with him was they're older brother Schneizell , and even him saw the merit in Lelouch's opinion.

"That may be true, but only the emperor has the power to change that policy" She retorted and directed her gaze towards Lelouch once more.

"Yes! …only the emperor does" Lelouch replied looking Cornelia straight in the face, a moment of silence flooded the room which seemed like an eternity, until it was broken by Cornelia.

"Enough of politics for one day, let's not get into an argument, when came here so I can meet Nunnally, not to argue with you "little mare" Cornelia replied and changed her tone and facial expression from dead serious to a playful one, and Lelouch responded in kind, the nickname Cornelia had for him "little mare" was one who always defused tension and made Lelouch cheer up.

"You know I'm not exactly little" he replied with a chuckle in his voice.

"But you still are a mare" Cornelia replied and both of them entered the living room with laughter coming out of them.

"Hello Nunnally" Cornelia shouted.

"Sister Cornelia!" Nunnally shouted in joy, she was making origami with Sayoko, and Cornelia was about to go towards her to hug her when she was stopped in her tracks by the sight of a young woman, with green hair which appeared to be dressed I a straight jacket?

"Ah sister, this is miss C.C, we've been making origami together," She told her sister with a smile.

"Hello" she said towards Cornelia and gave a slight bow of the head, which Cornelia returned with slight hesitation inside of her.

Lelouch was horrified at the sight of his two sisters' and that witch at the same table, C.C saw this and said towards him:

"I got hungry waiting for you, so I decided to go eat and I met you're little sister."

" Oh! And you should get a new bed, this one's a little small" She finished and continued with the piece of origami she was working on.

At this piece of information Cornelia was stunned and quickly snapped her head towards Lelouch and asked: "Lelouch just what is your relationship with this woman?.

"We have a contract." C.C replied with a tone of indifference in her voice.

"C…Contract!" Cornelia chocked on the word, in today's society men of peerage where, accustomed to taking in mistresses, this action would not have as a response a plight of ignorance form the ladies, and hypocritical scorn form gentleman who they themselves had such women, No!, such reaction would only happen if the said person did not take care of his mistress.

Many mistresses where discarded when they're patrons tired of them, and by then they would be looked upon by society as leftovers, and had few marriage prospects, either they were too old, or the fact that they where once a mistress made men repulse at the idea of taking another man's "reject".

So over time a law was made, any person who wanted to take a mistress, needed to provide for her an alimony for the rest of her life, a house, and college and child support should any children be a product of that union, this all had to be put down in paper, making in something reserved only for the fabulously rich, it was a practice which had started form Ricardo vi Britannia, the founder of the House of Britannia, he himself had tens of children, with dozens of women, but unlike others, who did the same and only provided financial support for these illegitimate offspring's he was different.

A month before the death of Elizabeth the third he at a royal banquet all of a sudden rose from his seat and boldly proclaimed to the gathered nobility which included the queen herself the following:

"It is impossible to ask a man of power to be faithful to his wife until death parts them, power corrupts and begs for it to be used, any man who has the power to have any woman he desires will use it, even the most pious and faithful man towards his wife will succumb to such a power's corruption, and any woman of high society which has a half a pound of brain knows that she can expect her husband to be unfaithful, anyone who denies this is either a liar, or is not in the possession of such a power, I myself have never been married, but I have fathered 15 children, by five different women, all of these women I loved, and all of my children I love with all my heart. I have openly proclaimed them as my one, and named them my heirs, yet you act as I am some immoral creature for simply giving my children the love and recognition they deserve, one of our greatest queens Elizabeth I was viewed by those outside England as a bastard child of Anne Boleyn, and may I remind you that our greatest king Henry the IX was also a bastard!

I am tired of this society who proclaims that the law of :"there is only the wife for the nobleman" is as sacred as Christianity itself , and nobody follows this proclamation! I might someday decide to emigrate to Turkey or Iraq, a place where polygamy is practiced without the shroud of hypocrisy."

This stunned the room, for everyone knew of it, yet no one spoke of it, a sort of public secret, but the silence was interrupted by a pair of hands clapping, the nobles where surprise to see that it was the queen herself who was clapping at this proclamation.

A week after the feast, a new law proposed by the queen was approved by parliament, making polygamy legal; it was opposed half heartily, since many men were delighted by the prospect of having a harem, even if few could afford one.

Three weeks later the queen died and appointed Ricardo as her successor, he immediately married the women who where mothers to his children, five in total, and made all of his children prince's, since then is was expected that if a male would succeed the throne, he would have to have at least five empresses, and take several other wives and even a few mistresses to ensure plenty of offspring's, prince's and princesses' who would lead the country, he also made a law that the next king or queen would be chosen by the council based upon skill alone, since Ricardo loved all his children equally he could not favor one over the other for the throne , it was the reason the Britannian monarchy survived the "Age of Revolution", the sheer number on royalty who were in key position in the military, economy and government , made it so that the royal family was the military, economy and government, making it impossible for non royals to make it to a position where they could destroy the monarchy, and even if they did they where quickly married off to a member of the royal family to ensure they're loyalty.

That combined with the fact that after a new monarch ascended, they're sisters and brothers would be removed from the line of succession, leaving only the children of the current king candidates, mixed with the fact that those children where pitted against each other ensured that only the best of them would become the ruler of the country this prevented civil wars, and ensured that a capable ruler would arise to lead the country.

This non-interrupted line of great kings is what transformed the Empire from thirteen small colonies on the end of the civilized world, into s superpower, which comprised of 1/3 of the world today

Fifty years after this Duke Oswald von Gotwald wrote in his journal:

"With one bold proclamation Ricardo, my king inadvertently created a type of monarchial system which by bypassing the traditional one king one queen system proved to have the power of producing capable kings and queens, therefore avoiding the incompetent rulers such as those who brought the French Revolution, which destroyed the European Royal houses."

The historian Alfred H Periwinkle wrote that:

" If yesterday he did not lose his temper and made a fit then he would have not been crowned king today, by the queen's appointment.

Another factor to consider is that in those times, a royal heir was supposed to be from a legal wife, but as it happened many times in history, the illegitimate children outshined the legitimate ones, this in turned was due to the fact once a child was born he knew from the start that he would be the next king, and since he did not have to fight for that position, the skills which one usually develops from competition with others over a prize was nonexistent, making the future kings the equivalent of doctors who received diplomas without even going to medical school.

This also turned the profession of mistress from a hush taboo pleasure, into a luxury which only the fabulously wealthy could afford, and prince's often made "contracts" with such women, if they intended to take on a mistress." (A History of the Empire )

The fact that C.C proclaimed that she had a "a contract" with Lelouch made Cornelia freeze from the shock of the news "A mistress, Lelouch has taken a mistress!" she said to herself.

"No, C.C is just making a joke" Lelouch tried to tell those present.

"I hate jokes" C.C retorted.

This made Lelouch panic even more and he hit his left pants pocket accidentally, hitting his cell phone and making the answering machine service replay the calls he missed.

If the misconception that Lelouch had taken a mistress was like a bomb exploding to a anormal person to Cornelia, this was like a hydrogen bomb going off,

This made an almost eerie silence fall the room, and the four females present, we're all giving him the look, even Nunnally's who was blind was giving him it.

Faced with a situation like this Lelouch did the only thing a soldier could do…..he retreated.

"Bed's two small?, what do you mean C.C?, here why don't you show me yourself" he said and dragged C.C along.

At this Nunnally only looked towards her paper crane and said "Brother is such a playboy!" while exhaling a breath of disappointment at Lelouch's behavior.

Cornelia was for the most part still processing the information she had just received.

(Lelouch's bedroom)

"Didn't I tell you to stay in this room? For god sake's the military is looking for you, haven't you no sense of danger at all" Lelouch yelled at C.C, and at his reaction C.C emotionlessly said:

"You are the military, also it would be better for your sister to think I'm your girl, rather than I was you're brothers lab rat." She pulled of her boots and started to tuck herself in the bed.

"Hey wait, are you just going to sleep now? I have a lot off questions to ask you, what was that power you offered?, who are you?" but C.C only responded with a good night.

Lelouch knew he had been defeated, so he left the room to go find an isolated place to smoke a cigar, he was not a real smoker, for he puffed the cigar without inhaling it's smoke, he also only did this when he was unwinding after a stressful event.

He was about to pull out his cigar from his pocket, but stopped himself when he saw that Cornelia, was approaching him.

"We need to talk" she said and motioned for Lelouch to join her in the library, once they were alone and sitting at a table, Lelouch popped the first question

"What do you want to talk about sister?"

"Just remembering how cute you were as a baby, how I watched you and Euphie get into trouble, and I've just realized that, you are now a man and a man has certain needs, and it is obvious you have someone to see to those needs".

At this statement, a look of horror came to Lelouch face and he buried his head in his hands, Cornelia was going to give him the TALK!.

"Sister, C.C is not really my mistress" he started saying but was stopped by a raise of the hand by Cornelia who said:

"Since you're mother is not here it falls to me to ensure you are not sexually irresponsible" and so despite Lelouch's innocence he was now sentenced to a punishment of countless hours of proper sexual practice, that combined with the fact that it was being delivered by his elder sister made it an even worst punishment.

Lelouch looked at the sky and somewhere, somehow he knew that Clovis was laughing his ass off.

(The next day, Brittannian concession railroad cart)

"Well I am glad you are in good spirits now Shirley" Millie said to her friend.

"Well never been out off the settlement , so this is exciting, going to lake Kawaguchi !"Shirley replied.

The train passed under a passage way making the light dim, and Nina who was with them shivered slightly from fright, Millie placed her hand upon Nina's and said: "It's alright, well be far away from the ghetto".

(Meanwhile back at Lelouch's mobile command center).

Jeremiah, Viletta Kewell and Suzaku all entered Lelouch's office within the command center and he gave them all the good news.

"So we finally have our own army!" Jeremiah replied with the broadest smile he could muster.

"For now it's just a division, we must first gather battleexperience, and then we can expand it into a full army corps, then a fully fledged army." Lelouch replied.

"And what will be the name of our division?" Kewell asked

"It will be the 501st knightmare division, instead of reforming other regiments into a new division we will have to raise it, and drill the men ourselves if we want a disciplined army, but nothing worthwhile is ever done by cutting corners" Lelouch replied to his officers and they all agreed, they didn't mind the extra work, since the day they had waited for so long had finally come.

"Why don't we celebrate this" Viletta said and she went down stairs to turn on the TV with the intend of finding MTV, but the TV was set on the news channel and she saw something, that made her party mood all but disappear.

"Lelouch, you have to see this, it's an emergency! "Suzaku who was also downstairs yelled.

Lelouch went down and saw the news report.

"We are live here at the Kawaguchi Sakuradite conference, where only minutes ago, a group of Terrorists, calling themselves the Japan Liberation Front have taken members of the comity and tourists will now show you footage from the terrorists" and there the whole group saw about 30 people taken hostage, among them where the student council members Shirley, Millie and Nina and most surprisingly a pink haired young girl with glasses on was seen amongst them.

"Euphie!" Suzaku cried in shock.

"Looks like we will get field experience sooner than we thought" Lelouch replied and continued to stare angrily at the news report.

Authors note

Dun dun dunnn! Clifhanger!, Now is we're the filler stops and the plot restarts, anyway I know you we're all expecting the Kawaguchi thing to happen sooner or latter, well here is my take on it

**Read and Review, let me know if I should continue! **


	7. Phase VII:THY KINGDOM COME

Phase VII: KINGDOM COME

(Outside Lake Kawaguchi)

How are things looking at the scene?" the anchor asked the female field reporter from the news room.

"I'm here in front of the Lake Kawaguchi hotel and convention center; the hoteljackers have identified themselves as the Japan Liberation Front. Several members of the Sakuridite allocation meeting most notably Chairman James have been taken hostage as well as several tourists and Britannian hotel employees." A picture was shown on the screen of all the hostages kneeling on the ground with their hands on the back of their heads. "This footage was taken by the perpetrators in it you can clearly see Chairman James, as well as several students."

(Narita mountain base,)

Kallen, along with Ougi and the other new recruits we're watching the news

"The student council…" Kallen breathed fretfully when she caught a glimpse of Milly and the others huddled in a corner.

"The leader of the group claims to be Lt. Col. Kusakabe of the now defunct Japanese Military. Sakuridite, an essential component in the manufacture of high tempter super conductors is a vital strategic resource that directly affects world security. Area Eleven is the world's largest producer of Sakuridite, providing seventy percent of the world's total supply. Here at the yearly international meeting of Sakuridite producers, it will be determined who this resource is distributed among the world's nations. It's no exaggeration to say that the outcome determines the balance of global power Britannia and other nations of the world. It is believed that the terrorists are using world interest in the annual gathering to their advantage by carrying out this violent hoteljacking."

(The room where the hostages are being kept)

" I'm Kusakabe of the Japan Liberation Front. This stand we are taking is for the freedom of Japan and our countrymen." Kusakabe addressed as the hostages looked on in fear.

"Even though you are not soldiers you are still Britannians! You are the ones who rule and oppress us! Sit still be quiet and you'll be fine! If you don't…" Kusakabe trailed off leaving what could happen to the hostages to their own imaginations.

"Lulu…" Shirley fearfully whispered to herself.

(The bridge in the G1 mobile base)

Cornelia was trying to figure a plan of action.

"All bridges connecting to the hotel except for the main one have been destroyed. Our attempted approaches from the air or water have been unsuccessful." And officer reported. "There's only one route left that will allow us to develop a possible rescue plan, the main utilities tunnel running right under the convention center hotel. Basically we would go in through this route and then, destroy the foundation block and submerge the hotel. Since the hotel was also built to handle supply deliveries it should be able to accommodate Sutherlands. Even if the enemy has taken precautions it should be no problem. They've been using substandard weaponry so we'll have no trouble evading them. "

As he made his report three Sutherlands were already getting ready to infiltrate the utilities tunnel through the sewer system. The order was given for them to go once they reached the tunnel and they went full speed down the tunnel ready to attack. What they did realize is that they were walking right into a trap the JLF had set.

"Enemy detected, moving through the underground passage, as expected." A member of the JLF who was manning one of the shrapnel cannons reported to his partner.

"Rodger that! Raikou, Secondary startup! Left and right quad-linkage legs, locked. Super electromagnetic shrapnel cannon voltage, confirmed!" The second man said.

The Sutherlands were fast approaching their target. "I think these guys have anti-Knightmare rifles. Spread out and break their ranks." The first pilot ordered the other two before they were fired upon by something wholly different.

"Super magnetic shrapnel cannon fire!" the button was pressed and bits of metal went flying obliterating the three Sutherlands and killing the pilots inside of them.

"One shot!" a member of Kusakabe's entourage said when the words lost came up on the screen

"Yes it works!" another cheered. "The Raikou really works!"

"What do you think of that, Britannian pigs?" Kusakabe said smugly.

(Back in the G1)

. "Wiped out?" Darlton exclaimed.

"It looks as though they modified a Glasgow into a linear cannon!" one of Cornelia's advisors informed.

"Then there is no way we can break through?" another asked.

"What do we do now? If we release the political prisoners like they demand…"

"We can't show weakness to theses terrorists!" Cornelia snapped before the man could finish the thought.

Gilford leaned down with a worried expression "But Princess Euphemia is…" he whispered.

"Yes I know." She replied

"Since the terrorists haven't made mention of either one of them while they were making their demands thus far we have to assume that they haven't discovered that fact." Darlton said "If they find that the princesses are among the hostages they will no doubt use them as bargaining chips. They went there as tourists on a class trip so it's very likely they checked in as a party under the Ashford name so their names shouldn't be on the guest registry."

(Outside the command center)

Suzaku, Cecil, Lloyd, Jeremiah, Viletta and Kewell were all outside the command center, on the lake's shore.

Lloyd skipped some stones on the lake shore as he Cecile and Suzaku waited for further orders.

"Where is the prince anyway?" Cecil asked.

"His highness said he has to retrieve something wich is essential for his plans to free the hostages, until then he ordered u

"Can't the special corps. help with the rescue operation?" Suzaku asked.

I've already asked them but the special corps. is an irregular unit. And Prince Lelouch isn't here to give the orders" Lloyd explained. "Besides…"

"It's too risky to entrust to and eleven, right?" Suzaku finished for him.

"Princess Cornelia is hesitant about Britannians and Numbers."

"So despite Lelouch's efforts the Japanese still aren't accepted enough into your structure."

"If that were true then what would be the point of the honorary Britannian system?" Cecile asked

Lloyd would have given her an answer, but he was too busy messing with his portable stereo, he pushed a button and Willy Nelson's "Down in the Everglades" began pouring out the small speakers

Night had begun to fall and as far as Suzaku knew Lelouch still hadn't arrived yet. Everyone involved in the situation was beginning to feel anxious. Suzaku and Cecile distracted themselves with running diagnostics on the Lancelot.

When do you think Lelouch will get here?" Suzaku asked.

"Relax!. I know you're worried; those teenage hostages are friends of yours from school aren't they? They're still negotiating so let's not give up hope."

"I have faith in the system. I prefer the logic of systems to personal emotions." Suzaku declared before gasping. "Miss Cecile look!" he exclaimed pointing at the screen in the Lancelot. There were four JLF members with a tied up hostage on the top of the building.

"What are they going to do to him?" Cecile asked before…

"Oh no. Don't do it." Suzaku said to himself as the uniformed men pushed him off the ledge. "NOOOOO!" Suzaku yelled as the man fell to his death. What neither one of them knew was thatLelouch had just arrived at the G1 not but a few moments ago.

"Our demands have gone unanswered. There for we will throw one hostage from the roof every thirty minutes until our terms are met. For the sake of the hostages negotiations better be in good faith!" Kusakabe announced over the feed.

"I have a proposition." Lelouch said having just gotten there to hear what Kusakabe's terms. "For an exchange for the hostages."

"Since we've already given our conditions I have to wonder what we would gain in this exchange of yours." Kusakabe said with a hint of sarcastic flare. "We give you the hostages in exchange for what?"

"…Myself." Lelouch said plainly and a number of people around him gasped.

"Lelouch no!" Cornelia bellowed wide eyed.

"Hmm…an imperial prince in exchange for a few dozen civilians…" Kusakabe mused aloud "I must admit _your highness_ that your proposition is very tempting. I will give it some thought." Kusakube said before cutting the feed.

"WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE THINKING?" Cornelia roared.

Lelouch still with his mask on turned towards Cornelia and said:

"Hear my plan out sister, then you can give me your opinion" and so he told her what he intended to do.

"This is crazy!,….you actually think I am going to approve of such lunacy?"Cornelia responded after hearing his plan.

"Cornelia, you care for Euphie, but remember she is also my sister, do I not also have the right to care for her, and need be risk my life for her? "Lelouch retorted which made Cornelia unable to reply.

"Are you sure this plan will work?" she asked hesitantly.

"Like you said this plan is lunacy, and that is the advantage, it's so crazy that no one will be able to predict it " he replied, and at this Cornelia had to admit he was right.

A moment later Lelouch stepped outside and explained the rest of his plan to his subordinates, they did not like it, but he gave his instructions as orders and not request and they all followed them they being good soldiers and all.

Suzaku was mounting the Lancelot, when all of a sudden he yelled out in frustration" Dammit Lelouch, you and your "Lead from the front attitude" while Suzaku admired that in his friend, like all soldiers he developed a hesitant involuntary rebuking of the thought of his commander and his friend risking his life,

Suzaku please calm down." Cecile soothed. "It does no good to question our commander."

"I know but…"

While Cecile was trying to calm Suzaku down outside the video feed had come back up on screen in the G1 it seemed that Kusakabe had made his decision.

Alright, we are willing to accept your offer." Kusakabe said. "You in exchange for the hostages."

"I'll have somebody drive me across the bridge then."

"Just to the gate." Kusakube insisted. "I don't want any funny business."

"Villetta Kewell, Jeremiah requisition a vehicle for us." Lelouch ordered his subordinates

" Yes your highness." they obeyed hesitantly.

While they drove towards the hotel Jeremiah let his mind fall astray in thoughts for a moment

"'We did everything you instructed me to. I hope you know what you're doing"

(Narita mountain complex)

Todoh and his four holy swords we're watching the news in a separate room from Kallen and her group.

Todoh was especially pain attention, since now would be probably his only opportunity to see Lelouch tactical skills in motion.

"There is new development in the hostage situation in Kawaguchi; it seems that Prince Lelouch has offered himself up as a hostage in exchange for the release of the civilians being held prisoner." The field reporter said on the television.

"So the dragon has awakened" Todoh muttered under his breath, although it was not intended it was heard by the other Holy swords.

(Kawaguchi, main hotel entrance).

Lelouch stepped out of the car, and was immediately searched by the men of the JLF.

One of them found two boxes, one the size of a six pack of beer, the other the size of a cigarette case.

They opened the big box, and were surprise to see it filled with chocolate.

"Chocolates for the hostages, to help them calm down" Lelouch told the man who found the boxes.

"Well our men will appreciate your gesture" The man replied, after a moment of shock for Lelouch was speaking Japanese.

The man then opened the other box and saw an "Imperial medal of Honor".

"A medal given to me for my actions in Siberia, surely you would not deprive a soldier of his battle merit." Lelouch told him.

The man hesitated for a moment, since he felt the urge to stomp that medal with his booth in front of him, but being a soldier he understood what a medal meant he gave it back, and since he did not find anything else on him, he let Lelouch pass.

As Lelouch was being escorted, he noticed the man was already indulging in the chocolates, and he was passing them to the other JLF members.

(Kusakabe's command room)

"Prince Lelouch vi Britannia we meet at last or should I call you Zero?" Kusakabe said when Lelouch was lead into the room he and his men had been occupying.

Lelouch noticed that at the time he was speaking Kusakabe himself was indulging in the chocolate box, who at first had several hundred pieces of candy, now it had only a few.

"I see you like our Brittannian chocolate" Lelouch told Kusakabe.

"Me and my men as well" He replied with a chuckle.

"You shouldn't eat that, it's bad for your health" Lelouch replied in monotonous tone.

"Thank you for the advice, by the way what's with that medal you have in this case" Kusakabe's asked.

"It's for a colonel, who singlehandedly let 300 enemy soldiers into a trap" Lelouch replied, and at this statement Kusakabe's head snapped for a moment, 300 soldiers was exactly the number he had brought with him to Kawaguchi, but he would not realize the implications of Lelouch's statement until it would be too late.

"Alright Kusakabe, you have me. Now are you going to release the hostages or not?" Lelouch asked.

"I don't think so, there is obviously something very important about them for you to offer yourself up like this. So we will be holding on to them for a little while longer. With the addition of you we now hold all the cards." Kusakabe said as if he thought he was the most cleaver person in the world.

"I thought as much." Lelouch retorted.

Kusakabe's face fell "Is that so?"

"Yes, but _I_ still didn't sell out my own personal sense of morals and honor by not keeping _my_ end of the deal." Lelouch deliberately jibed.

Kusakabe visibly seethed at what Lelouch was implying "you…you brat…" growled in a low voice. "If I were youI'd shut my mouth for you are at our mercy at the moment."

At this reply, Lelouch only gave a small chuckle which disturbed Kusakabe a little for it sounded inhuman because of the voice distorter.

"_All conditions are clear, it's time to begin phase one_" Lelouch said to himself and discreetly pressed his belt buckle which had a secret signal beacon built into it.

(Hostage storage room)

"An..an Eleven." Nina gasped a little too loudly.

The man obviously took extreme offense to it because he started yelling at her. "What did you say?" All Nina could do was whimper in Milly's arms as he pointed his gun at her. "We're not Elevens! We're Japanese dammit!"

"We know! Just lay off of her!" Milly snapped.

"Then correct her! We're not called Elevens!"

"Fine we'll correct her!" Shirley yelled trying to defend her friends.

"How dare you talk like that to me!" the man yelled. "You three come with me to the next room and I'll teach you a real lesson!"

"NO! NO! PLEASE!" Nina screamed when he grabbed her arm. "LET ME GO!"

Stop that this instant!" Euphemia ordered.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked throwing Nina to the floor.

"I demand you take me to your leader! Right now understand?"

"What?"

"You are addressing Euphemia li Britannia third princess of the holy Britannian Empire." Everyone gasped but she ignored it "Nina are you alright?"

"Yes I think so." She replied weakly.

"The squad leader said after recovering from the suddenness of this revelation gave the following orders:. "Take her to Kusakabe."

(Lancelot launch vehicle)

A few moments later Lloyd received the call down in that truck that transported the Lancelot "Wonderful!" Lloyd said.

"Time for phase one " he said towards Cecill and Suzaku who by now was in the cockpit.

Cecil started explaining to Suzaku his exact mission.

"Major Kururugi, here is the outline of your mission. According to prime search the hostages are located on the twentieth floor and are believed to be locked in a storage room Prince Lelouch however is believed to be on the top floor being held captive by Lt. Col. Kusakube himself. Advanced prototype weapon Z-01 Lancelot will use the utilities tunnel to move under the hotel. Once on site you will destroy the foundation block and submerge the building the area with the hostages should hold out for 8 minutes. Hostage rescue an d mop-up of the terrorists will be handled by other units. You will be using the V.A.R.I.S. to destroy the foundation. Set the impact rail to anti-material level three."

Suzaku nodded and began preparing his machine for launch.

Lloyd had been so eager to give his creation a baptism of fire, he forgot to turn off his stereo and he left it playing outside.

(Kusakabe's command center)

"Let me ask you a question, what were you hoping to accomplish with this action" Lelouch asked Kusakabe.

"To tell the world that Japan is not dead" he replied

"How out fashioned, what you did will serve no more than to demonize you in the eyes of the world, you lived for too long, you are nothing more than a relic from the past , a dinosaur in the age of the mammals, a grandfather clock in the era of the digital watch, I bet you did not even plan on what to do after you took the hostages, you truly are obsolete" Lelouch told Kusakabe.

"Shut your moth you brittannian royal swine" Kusakabe literally barked out

"Look at you , the famous "Iron Prince", Todoh always said that you are someone to be feared and I always said you were a moron, looks like we now know who was right" Kusakabe told Lelouch with a chuckle.

"Yes, Todoh was right" he replied.

"What do you mean? "Kusakabe asked.

"Tell me colonel would have I really, let myself ne captured by you if I was not certain I would in the end prevail?, would I not lead you into a false sense of security so I can strike when you let your guard down?" Lelouch told him with a sinister chuckle in his voice.

"Lelouch or Zero, or whatever, I have heard enough" Katase angrily replied and prepared to lunged at him ready to cut him with his sword, when as he got up a great pain echoed through his body, especially from his stomach.

The same thing was happening to the other soldiers who were standing besides Kusakabe, and from the security footage from Kusakabe TV set he could tell the same thing was happening to the other members of the JLF.

"I told you that chocolates were bad for your health" Lelouch replied with an evil chuckle.

"You poisoned it!" Kusakabe exclaimed in shock.

"No, just a muscle paralysis, I warned you but you wouldn't listen, and I thank you for letting each one off your men partake in the chocolate." Lelouch replied.

But in truth in was neither, the chocolates contain inside them as a filling a small piece of Cecil homed cooked food, Lelouch remembered that miss Cecil skill as a scientist was only matched by her lack of skill's in the kitchen.

That was the reason he was latte to arrive at Kawaguchi he went to the research facility to get a hold off Cecil's leftovers, and disguise them ass chocolates.

After he himself first tasted Cecil's cooking he thought to himself in gesture that they could use her food as" biological weapons of war" and now he had found out that the idea was actually quite practical and efficient.

"Do you remembered, this medal?"Lelouch asked Kusakabe while he took the said object out of its box and strode towards him.

"I told you that it was for a colonel who single handedly led 300 enemy soldiers into a trap" He paused and suspended the medal right in front of Kusakabe's face and then continued:

"Colonel Kusakabe for extraordinary service to his majesty and the empire in singlehanditly capturing 300 enemy's of our government you are here by awarded the "Imperial medal of Honor". He paused again and pinned the medal on Kusakabe's chest.

"You are the best soldier our side has" Lelouch replied with a mocking tone.

"ZEROOOOOOOOOO!" Kusakabe roared out of anger with his mouth literary foaming from sheer rage, just then a knock was heard on the door.

"Excuse me these soldiers were escorting me when the suddenly collapsed outside the door" Euphemia said as she opened the door.

"Euphie?" Lelouch said as he saw his sister.

"Lelouch!" what are you doing here?" Euphie asked surprise at seeing her brother there, albeit he was in his Zero costume.

"Saving you of course, and you helping the ones who took you hostage, that is so like you Euphie" Lelouch replied with a chuckle.

Just then footsteps where heard and Jeremiah and the others came rushing in.

"Sir, all of the JLF have been incapacitated from the chocolates, and we have tied them up as per your instructions" Jeremiah told his commander while he gave him a radio.

"Excellent!, secure these people here and get the hostages into the rafts, and the terrorist to the main entrance,

Euhpie go and make sure the hostages remain calm" Lelouch gave his orders , he then turned on the radio and said:

"Suzaku, are you ready for phase 2?"

"Yes sir! Ready when you are" Suzaku replied.

"Then initiate phase 2" Lelouch commanded and Suzaku began immediately.

"ME boost." Suzaku said to himself as he activated the mechanism while waiting for Cecile to give him the signal, and then it came…

"Lancelot now launching!" she announced over the radio. And he quickly activated his land spinners to speed down the tunnel, approaching the linear cannon faster than he could have imagined.

"Reaction confirmed! One enemy Knightmare! It moves twice as fast as the others!" a JLF member who was still manning the shrapnel cannon announced.

"So what? It'll end up like the rest!" another said firing up the cannon. "Supper electromagnetic shrapnel cannon FIRE!"

The same ammunition that had done in the Sutherlands that had attempted this earlier was fired towards the Lancelot. Suzaku pulled back and dodged it they fired once more and he used the momentum to drive up on to the walls and ceiling of the tunnel to dodge the hail of metal again.

"What? The Lancelot?" Cornelia asked not quite believing what she had been told.

"Yes at the rate it's going it'll brake through soon." Darlton confirmed.

Suzaku used the Blaze Luminous shields to deflect another barrage from the linear cannon as he continued advancing on his target. "Yes! It can take this level of destruction!" he said to himself while looking at the screen in the cockpit.

"That thing broke through salvo number five! I can't believe it!" one of the JLF members said beginning to panic. It seemed there was no stopping this thing.

"Just don't panic!" the other said becoming quite nervous himself. "Deploy the quad-link free-fire arm gun! Batteries too!" he ordered. "We'll shield this final defense with our lives!"

"Miss Cecile." Suzaku said over his radio "It's time for me to use the V.A.R.I.S."

"Suzaku no! you could get killed!" she protested as he deflected another attack.

"There is no room for me to evade! I'll risk getting blasted to take the first shot!" he said taking aim with his V.A.R.I.S.

The JLF in the shrapnel cannon saw as the white Knightmare approached. It was either do or die and they had already made their decision "Maximum output! I don't give a damn if it wrecks the guns! Be prepared to die defending this spot! SMASH HIM!" they fired once more but Suzaku was ready. He gave a blast of the V.A.R.I.S. disintegrating the barrage and blowing up the Raikou and killing the men inside. All that was left for him to do was come up through the lake and blast the foundation blocks of the hotel to submerge it.

(Outside, in front of lake Kawaguchi)

The people outside watched as the hotel started to submerge and the Lancelot jumped seemingly out of t he ground and right where the entrance to the hotel used to.

"What's going on, what are you planning" Diethard said to himself from the news van as he waited impatiently for what he perceived as the finally of the chapter called "Lake Kawaguchi"

Everyone fell silence and the stereo which Lloyd had forgot to turn off was now being heard by everyone around lake Kawaguchi from the sheer lake of noise.

Just then as the smoke was clearing Lloyd stereo began playing a song by Black Sabbath :

The dust was settling and from it you could see that next to the Lancelot, a caped figure was becoming distinguishable.

_**What is this that stands before me?  
Figure in black which points at me**_

Lelouch was standing with his back towards the crowd, he then turned around, the motion of turning was amplified by his cape making it look almost an action donned by someone inhuman to those who looked at him.

_**Turn around quick, and start to run  
Find out I'm the chosen one  
Oh nooo!**_

Diethard had the men get a close up at Lelouch's mask, and at the curbed glass portion had the reflection of the various spotlights before him giving making it a very disturbing thing to look at.

_**Big black shape with eyes of fire  
Telling people their desire**_

For a moment there was silence for to the crowd before Lelouch had never witnessed such an apparition.

_**Satan's sitting there, he's smiling**_

The verse, combined with Ozzy's demonic sounding voice, the recently destroyed building, the giant knightmare which now stood behind Lelouch the fire image in Lelouch helmet, which it itself had three horns on it made this scene truly something like Satan himself descending upon the mortal world from hell itself while riding the beast from the book of revelation.

But this silence was broken by Lelouch himself, and his voice now drowned out the stereo.

"People of Britannia, do not fear I have liberated the hostages, and have captured the terrorists, just then from behind him Kusakabe and his men began rolling along the bridge, they were bound and gagged and none of them where dead, that fact that he captured them, which was infinitely more difficult than killing them made Lelouch's presence more scarier.

Just then a few flood light when off and revealed Viletta, Jeremiah and Kewell all giving a bow is the manner of a salute towards the crowd.

"People of the world fear us or seek our aid; we are the allies of justice ,we are the order of Black Knights!" Lelouch voice roared to the crowd.

"Knights?" Cecile asked.

"Well, looks like the prince is going public with his army" Lloyd replied.

"The Black Knights are allies of justice, our purpose is to make those who break the law pay for they're actions.

The cowardly Japanese Liberation Front took hostages and killed innocent civilians who not only had nothing to do with the current political situation, but where incapable of defending themselves" he pointed towards Kusakabe and his men who were tied up and lying on the ground before him.

"It would have been easy to kill them all, but my purpose is to bring justice to Japan and not revenge and retribution!

The various politicians and business men I arrested some time ago was also for this same reason, they're corruption, and indifference to the sufferings of the Japanese people have turned them into monsters, whose only belief is money, therefore I have punished them! And have locked them in our deepest darkest dungeon, where they will never see the light out day again, I do not wish to fight, but I cannot stand by and watch as the innocent suffer under the guilty, the corrupt steals the bread of the just'

"Only those who are prepared to be killed should have the right to kill!"

"Those who are evil fear us!" he waved his right hand.

"Those who are weak seek us!" he waved his left hand.

"The Black Knights will bring justice to this world!"

He then motioned his head upwards until he was looking towards the heavens, he put his hands together the way a person put's his hand when praying and said:

"Father ! Here before the world, and before you I pledge to you that the corrupt will be brought to justice, the wicked will be punished, and as long as I breathe never again those who are innocent will suffer under those who are evil"

He then turned his head from the heavens towards the crowd, quickly motioned his hands from the praying position towards the crowd and shouted

"THY KINGDOM COME!"

Author's note

Well there you have it, some off you may like it and some off you may hate it, I changed the speech because Lelouch now is a prince and he has to be careful what he says.

**Anyway read and review let me know if I should continue**


	8. Phase VIII: Effect

Phase VIII: Effect

A week after Lake Kawaguchi

(Narita mountain range)

"I want batteries placed on those hills, and foxholes 10 meters apart, make sure they're camouflaged" Todoh said to one of his lieutenants and the man quickly saluted and went to fulfill his orders.

He watched as the man left, and then returned to his thoughts, after witnessing what happened at Kawaguchi, nobody dared to laugh at Zero now, a council was held amongst the officers of the JLF and propositions for what do to next where said.

Todoh is his opinion though that the most logical path was to abandon Narita and escape overseas, and if not that then at least abandon Narita and move to a new base.

The other officers although weary of Lelouch wanted to fight Brittannia, they told Katase that if they don't take a stand now, then when?

Since Todoh himself was a veteran of the Second Pacific War he too had a desire that after years of preparation they take the fight to the enemy.

The Brittannian army stationed in Japan was about 90.000 men, and about 900 knightmares

The resistance despite having about 150.000 men and in effect 3000 knightmare accumulated over the years, scattered into various hidden locations to avoid detection was not ready for a revolution.

For a revolution, the resources where there, the men were present, but what they lacked was a leader, the JLF who was the closest thing to a real army had about 7.000, and the factions of the resistance although numbered about 150.000, but they were not one army under one man, rather a collective of army's who had a common enemy, but were more caught up in arguments and disagreement over ideology and things like where the revolution should start, that was its weakness!.

The Brittannian army or rather two armed corps of 50.00men was both in men and material inferior currently, but the one factor which made the difference was that it was a true army, and Brittannias had ten other armies the size of it waiting in the mainland should the need arise.

The only way a revolution would work would be with a quick victory, before the Brittanian's could deploy the other armies, but like it was stated before, there was no leader capable of uniting the various pockets of resistance, and although they would obey General Katase, Katase knew that he was incapable of such a feat as he confined in Todoh, that he hopped that one day a new Oda Nobunaga would arise to turn they're small army into a grand one and lead them to victory.

"I wish we had someone like Lelouch on our side, if Zero would lead us, we would surely prevail!" Katase told Todoh last night.

Todoh agreed on that, that what they lacked was a leader, but still?

"The day a Brittanian Prince, leads a revolution with an army off numbers against his own country and father, will be the day that Lady Kaguya will marry Zero! Hah!" Todoh thought to himself.

The sheer absurdity of both thoughts made the poker face samurai gave a smile and a chuckle which was as rare as tree blossoming in autumn.

(Tokyo Concession Park)

Kallen walked about partially to clear her head and partially to analyze what had transpired in the past week.

"A week ago Zero swore and oath before the world and before god that he would punish the wicked and protect the innocent.

"After Kawaguchi, Prince Lelouch or Zero as he calls himself started a whole new campaign, within a week drug cartels, corporations who were only interested in making money and dozens of businessmen and politicians who were corrupt have been destroyed, dismantled and arrested.

These moves have greatly improved the living conditions of the people of Japan, there are also rumors that he court marshaled and dishonorably discharged army officers who mistreated Honorary Brittannian troops, thus greatly improving they're living conditions and now with the Phoenix Fund in full throttle Zero's, he is becoming even more popular, and even has support among the Japanese Population, those who support him have named him "Zero Houshisha no Ouji", meaning the prince who is a servant of the people, the common brittannian people also support him, since his reforms have also been applied within the mainland greatly improving they're wage's ."

Kallen mental thoughts were paused, by a few small boys who were pretending to be Black Knights, and despite the fact that they pretending on being her enemy, she couldn't help but smile and the fact than in these dark times the children could enjoy themselves.

"But despite all that, the fact still remains Zero still is a prince of the Empire, some think he is only doing this with an ulterior motive for good publicity or something like that, others think he truly is the savior that Japan desperately needs, but the majority don't care as long as war doesn't come.

Lelouch hides his face from the world, making him even more deadly, part off me wants to hope that he truly is doing this out off the kindness of his heart, another part of me remembers that he is still a prince, and my enemy and that one day I and my comrades will face him.

God be with us when that day comes" she finished her train of thoughts, and saw that a Japanese vender was being assaulted by a group of college students.

Say something! You are sorry aren't you?"

"Bowing your heads is what elevens do best right?"

"Hey leave him alone!" she yelled running over there to help despite her better judgment.

"What's it to you girly?" one of the perpetrators asked turning to get a good look at her. Once he got an eye full a predatory smirk crossed his face and he grabbed her wrist. "Hey you're kinda cute."

"Let go of me!" Kallen demanded just about ready to pull out her switchblade and cut the bastard up.

"Excuse me." a clam but commanding voice interrupted. Kallen saw that it was Lelouch.

The thug released Kallen from his grip. "You got a problem or something?" he then took a few steps toward Lelouch, but stopped the moment Lelouch pulled out a handgun from his coat.

"Yes, as a mother a fact I do, my problem is that it makes me ashamed to call myself a Brittannian, when people like you are part of my country" he said and he glued the gun barrel to the young man's chin.

"Who?...Who do you think you are?" the man asked with a clear tremble in his voice and body.

" OH! Forgive me, my name is Duke Lelouch Lamperouge, Lulu for my friends " he replied with a grim on his face and then continued "You know I hate people like you, who are true blue followers of our Darwinism , who like to think people are in a pyramid and attack those who they perceive bellow them" he paused for a moment " Well guess what, by that philosophy, I'm one step above the food chain than you, and I have to say you look rather tasty!"Lelouch said with a smile on his face which gleamed on psychotic and the finished with "now get out of here, before I decide to have a snack!".

A moment later the young men immediately took flight as if they'd just seen the devil himself.

Lelouch bought two ice creams and gave one to Kallen , a moment latter both of them where on a bench and they were enjoin they're respective ice creams

"You shouldn't have interfered" Lelouch told Kallen suddenly.

"Why? That poor man was being assaulted!" Kallen responded a bit annoyed, especially since she did not need Lelouch to be a knight in shining armor.

"That vender will not be able to sell a thing tomorrow because of your interference." Lelouch replied.

"This is because of the way the Empire is" Kallen snapped at Lelouch with an angry tone.

"This is how the world is" Lelouch replied which caught Kallen off guard.

"What do you mean?" she asked curious and confused.

"Let me ask you a question, just because slavery exists here in the empire under the form of the numbers system, you think it doesn't exist outside our borders?" Lelouch asked Kallen, and at this she didn't' know how to respond.

"The E.U for example boasts that they are the free and democratic world where only skill counts, and they attract people with that notion, but the elections are won by the candidate who has the most sponsors for his campaign, and those sponsors expect the investment they made in the candidate to be repaid, also the working class are paid so little that they live no better than the numbers here in the empire, and as for the Chinese they treat their own people like filth, you can imagine how they treat minorities or foreigners." He said, and at this Kallen was taken aback she never gave much thought to the world outside Japan.

The E.U using the pretext that they are the free world, have invaded and conquered other countries and the same goes for the Chinese Federation, and they did it for reasons no less noble than Brittannia had" Lelouch continued

"I have travelled the world, and I like you thought that Brittannia was the source of all the worlds troubles, but the world itself is a decrepit and corrupt society, where a handful prosper on the blood and sweat of the masses, I tell you that wherever you may go in the world, in any country you may set foot there will always be masters and slaves, even if they don't call them that" Lelouch finished and took a lick of his ice cream.

"Are you saying that Brittannia is good because it does not pretend to be hide it's true nature" Kallen asked with an angry tone in her voice.

"No, Brittannia is as evil pure and simple, but I am only saying that the other two super powers are no different, they will call you comrade in China and Citizen in Europe, but will still put a shovel in your hand" Lelouch calmly replied.

This made all the anger in Kallen disappear and she was smart enough to know that there was truth in his words.

"But it's not all bad, from an economic and military point of view Japan has become stable since becoming an Area, people can become citizens by going to the public service office, and register as honorary brittanians, it's just a matter of pride, and I understand why most would not relinquished that." He continued and took another lick of his ice cream.

He then chuckled for a moment, which confused Kallen, for a moment .

"What is so funny?"

"Nothing, it's just that during the First Pacific War Japan was "The Empire of the Rising Sun" a country, which was as evil if not eviler than Brittannia is now, back then however the number system did not exist, it was only years after that the old king died and the new king was crowned that the number system appeared" Lelouch responded to Kallen question, he paused for a moment, looked at his ice cream and then continued but with a sad expression on his face.

"Back then…..Back then we weren't like this, …..back then before the number system appeared The Empire was called "The Second Camelot" and then madness and hatred took the throne in the form of the 95th emperor and the second Camelot became this…..Some people like it the way things are now…..others don't care as long as it does not affect their lives,… but a handful want The Empire to become "The second Camelot " once more" he finished and let out a breath of exasperation and disappointment escape from his lungs, and closed his eyes in disappointment.

"And is Zero among those who think like that?"Kallen asked curiously.

Lelouch opened his eyes and looked at Kallen with a smile on his face 

"Are you asking me off what Lelouch Lamperouge thinks of Lelouch vi Brittannia?" he said, the irony of it was all too present for him.

"Something like that?" she replied and took a lick of her ice cream.

"Well….From my opinion of him Prince Lelouch is arrogant, overconfident, thinks the world revolves around him, and has a smug attitude of himself" he paused for a moment and noticed Kallen facial expression was that of ("Just like I thought") and then continued but with a softer and more saddened tone "But he really cares for the common people, regardless if they're citizens or numbers, and he really does want to improve their lives, and make sure they have their rights back, ….but a lot of people who profit from the current system are against it, ….he tries to help whenever he can but it's always one step forwards and two step back,….. People don't like change, … and despite how hard he tries people just don't believe he's doing it because he cares, the royal family doesn't exactly have a great reputation as humanitarians" He said that last part with a small chuckle and Kallen understood what it meant for to be judged on the basis of one's family, she herself lived that every day at home "but even so….. I always try my best!".

"You mean Prince Lelouch" Kallen interjected.

"Ah!...Yes, yes of course, Zero tries his best and I help him since I'm with the phoenix fund" Lelouch quickly replied with a worried tone since he almost revealed himself to her unintentionally.

"But if the world is like this, how can it change?"Kallen asked.

"Well, the E.U going in the right direction, it just needs a few tweaks and it should be fine, The Chinese Federation needs serious change, but I believe it can be fixed, and as for the Empire, the Emperor is the only one with the power to change our policy, but the advantage is since his word is law, those who profit from the current system can do nothing if he changes it" Lelouch replied.

"So all we need is a good king?" Kallen asked

"Something, like that" he replied, he then looked at his watch and said

"Well I have to say there is merit in your words, and I'd like to believe that not all of brittannia is evil" She replied.

"Thank you, "Lelouch responded, he then looked at his watch and said:

"Well I have to go and I'm sorry if I bored you with my blabbering" he then took Kallen hand and kissed and took off.

His opinion on how the world is, combined with the fact that he was handsome, and he just kissed her hand ,made Kallen blush, and as she looked at him leave her blushed continued.

Just the realization of what was happening suddenly struck her.

"NO!...no,no,no,no..no!" she said out loud and squeezed her ice cream .

"I can't be falling for that Brittannian noble…..could I? "Kallen asked herself out loud , unsure of what the answer to that question was.

Just then her phone rang

(Ashford Academy grounds)

Shirley let out a breath of exasperation, which was not unnoticed by Millie.

"What's the matter Shirley? Constipation? For two days "Millie asked her friend.

"No!, that's not it! Shirley replied embarrassed.

"Ah!...I wish my husband Lelouch wasn't such a womanizer!" Millie said with a playful tone.

"That!. That's not it!...Lulu and I aren't a couple " Shirley retorted with cheeks red from embarrassment.

"But you'd like him and you to be a couple wouldn't you?" Millie asked her friend.

Shirley nodded in agreement.

"STRIKE THEN!' Mille suddenly shouted jumping from her chair, and she took a paint brush from the table and pointed it at Shirley

"Even though he currently has no interest in girls, the desire will be one day awaken and erupt! Therefore I Millie Ashford, give you the duty of stopping that tidal wave from praying on the innocent maidens of this world, do you accept this great responsibility, Lady Shirley Fenete?" Millie said while she performed a mock knighting ceremony with her paintbrush.

Shirley was by now so embarrassed, that all she could do was nod.

"Now!, let's the fun begin, he he he!"Millie laughed with a grim and she pulled out her phone and started dialing Lelouch's number.

"Hey Lulu, can you please come over to the student council room?" Millie said into the phone and after receiving a reply, she then phoned Kallen and then said.

"Time to turn our little stray cat, into a house cat!" Millie said with a chuckle and she looked in Arthur's direction, after that she went to the closed and brought out some costumes.

(Governor's palace, military meeting room)

Kewell, Jeremiah and Viletta where looking over the enlistment papers of the men who we're to form their new division.

"Can you believe this?

We finally have permission to raise a field command and look at this: five division of green troops, and one of them is an Brittannian one, the rest are former numbers, elevens sixes and thirds!" Kewell shouted out it frustration.

"Now calm down Lord Kewell, even Wellington started from the bottom and worked his way towards the top." Viletta told him, which partially calmed him down.

"Even so, I am not certain that having only 25 % of your forces Brittannian is a good idea "Kewell shot back .

"You think they might revolt?" Jeremiah asked his friend.

"Maybe or maybe not, but what concerns me is that they may not be able to fight, Honorary Brittanian units don't exactly have a good military record" Kewell replied.

"I said the same thing to the Prince last night, and he said that the reason for that is that the units were either usually used for supply transport, or they're instructors didn't teach them seriously how to fight, he also said that whipping them from zero to hero was a challenge he looking forward to" Jeremiah replied to his friend.

"Also the knightmare units are controlled by the 501st which is completely made out off Britannia's so there is no reason to worry yourself" Viletta replied.

At this Kewell had nothing to say, it was true that the fact that Kururugi saved his life had made him start to reconsider his opinion on numbers, but this was how he was raised, and it was a daunting task to question if you're upbringing was wrong.

(Ashford Academy hall)

"As you know, the members of the local aristocracy have in protest towards the Phoenix fund refused to hire eleven workers, even though they have a slightly better profit margin if they do" Lelouch listened to Diethard over the phone.

"To counter this I propose we start our own company, I have laid the basic plans for it on your desk last night, and I have a working title and logo "Black Corporation", also in regards of the Phoenix fund I finished reorganizing it, and laid the new personal list on your e-mail address."

"In regard to the new army corps your forming the 42nd, I finished putting up a list of the necessary material and food supply's necessary for them" Diethard said over the phone.

"Excellent job Diethard, I see you're a man of many talents, just the kind I need, we'll keep in touch" Lelouch responded and hung up the phone.

"So that means I passed my test "Diethard said to himself on the on the other end of the phone.

Lelouch meanwhile was continuing his walk towards the student council room.

He then entered the room and was shocked at what happened next.

15 minutes latter

Kallen was just outside the student council room when she heard some strange noises coming from inside.

"Hey, stop this Suzaku!"Lelouch's voice was heard.

"Suzaku as the school president, I order you to continue" Millie voice was heard.

"I'm sorry Lelouch, .but orders are order" Suzaku voice was heard saying.

Kallen the opened the door and saw that everyone was dressed in cat costumes and Lelouch was tied to a chair and they we're trying to put make up on him.

"Hello ,meow" Millie greeted Kallen

"What's going on here?"she asked.

"It's Arthur's welcome party, he is now the official student council mascot" Rivals answered.

"Will you join us Kallen?" Shirley asked.

"Kallen doesn't need a costume

She's already as catty as they come" Lelouch said with his usual devilish smile.

Kallen was a little annoyed by this remark and responded with:

"Why don't you go on TV? You'd be a big star?"

"Speaking of which how's it like being a tv star?" Rivals asked Shirley.

"Don't joke like that!

We were followed everywhere this past week, we couldn't get privacy even in the bath, and we couldn't even leave the campus!" Shirley responded.

"Speaking of which why can't we leave the campus as well?" Rivals asked.

"That's what friends are for!

We do not ask to be born on the same day, but we seek to die together" Mille responded.

"Is that a proposal?" Rivals asked.

"It means that when you go to hell, drag others down with you" Mille responded.

"That's cruel! Am I right Suzaku?" Rivals asked him, and saw that tears were forming in his eyes.

"I…I am so glad everyone is alright" Suzaku said and started crying.

"What's with that reaction?" Rivals said and started to tackle him.

And so the student council shared a collective laugh, to Kallen it was moments like this that made her forget Japan's situation, and made her think that not all Brittannians were bad, it was just the bad ones who were in power.

(Somewhere in the Kanto region mountains)

Cornelia attacked in her Gloucester from above giving the terrorists manning the tanks stationed on the mountain slope little time to react.

"Relics of a forgotten age.." She said to herself as they fired at her as she came at them but she easily dodged the onslaught and fired her slash hearkens at them making the tanks below explode on impact. When she came upon a landing which lead to a tunnel she contacted Darlton. "Darlton in here correct?"

"Yes, my lady. Shall we accompany you?"

"Not for this level of resistance, I'd rather take them all out myself!" she hissed as she went down the tunnel leading into a man-made concrete lined cavern filled with munitions and tracks leading to out to tunnels in every direction.

"Surrender at once you feeble minded elevens!" she ordered.

The remaining guerrillas took up their arms and let out a cry of "down with Britannia!" firing upon the enemy Knightmare in one last desperate act of defiance. This of course did not faze Cornelia in the least bit.

"No point in taking them out one buy one." She said to herself as she aimed her assault rifle. "Rot like the vermin you are!" she cried as she fired upon them killing every last one.

(Oughi's apartment Shinjuku ghetto)

It was now late in the evening and Oughi and the other members of his resistance cell where all gathered there.

"The Blood of the Samurai was spilled a few hours ago, they were the largest anti Brittanian faction within Kanto, and yet they were completely wiped out" Oughi said his voice filled with fear and sadness.

"First Zero defeats Kusakabe, and now Cornelia does this" Sugiyama said.

"I'd never thought I'd say this, but I'm starting to miss prince Clovis!" Tamaki said and the room was silent, for the truth was that they were facing capable leaders who were managing to destroy the resistance.

"We shouldn't be discouraged by this!

The fight is not over,!" Kallen suddenly said and at this they're morale picked up somehow.

Just then Kallen phone rang, and since she dropped it while trying to respond and unwillingly activated the speaker.

"Kallen this is Shirley, I think we should talk, I'd like to know if you and Lelouch are officially dating" the phone was then hung up.

"Who's Lelouch ?" Minami asked curious.

"Duke Lelouch is just my classmate!" Kallen responded with a slight blush.

"Duke Lelouch?...As in the Duke Lelouch? The manager of the Phoenix Fund?" Yoshida asked.

Kallen gave a nod.

The name of Duke Lelouch was well known by now by most of the Japanese population, but nobody had seen his face, for Lelouch had used every single gambling debt he had to make sure no one would get a picture of him, he tried also to make sure no one found out his name, but the paparazzi just couldn't be stopped so easily.

"Is he handsome?" Tamaki asked curious.

To the rest of the room the fact that Kallen was seemingly involved with a brittannian seemed to be ignored over the fact that they we're curious of the appearance of one off the few brittannians , with the exception of Zero who was actually favored by the Japanese and even other numbers.

"Well here his picture" she said and showed them a picture on her cell phone.

The entire room gathered to see the picture,

"PHEWW, he's quite the looker! No wonder that girl from before was calling you about him!" Inoue said which made Kallen blush even more.

"He's not my boyfriend! Where just friends that's all!" Kallen said with a now flustered face.

"Riiight!" Tamaki said towards Kallen with a sly smile on his face.

"Hey guys, check this out!" Oughi told them as he watched a live broadcast.

(Lelouch's Mobile command center, plains of Kanto)

"So it seems you finally have your own army, I congratulate you on that little brother" Schneizell said on the computer screen.

"I thank you big brother, but I am afraid his is just a corps, a full fledge army is much bigger than this, but in time I hope I will be able to expand it" Lelouch replied.

"Might I ask why you requested honorary brittannians to be under your command?" Schneizell asked.

"You know perfectly how I feel about the numbers policy; in order to change it, I need to change the peoples opinion on the numbers, the easiest way to do that is trough military victory's , by honorary brittannian soldiers, but you knew that already, don't you brother?" Lelouch replied with a smile on his face.

"Yes, but assuming one thing, and finding out you were correct are two different things, also you shouldn't have told me your plans so easily, it's not a very good way of doing diplomacy you know" Schneizell said with a laugh.

"I see my mentor on politics is still testing me" Lelouch replied with a small laughter.

"A good teacher, always makes sure his student is in best shape, anyway, I can hardly wait for your speech to the army, father and our other siblings have gathered in the throne room, with the rest of the nobility to view it, break a leg!" Schneizell responded and ended his transmission.

Just then a knock was heard at the door.

"Lelouch the troops have been aligned, and are ready for your inaugural speech" Suzaku said.

Lelouch put on his head his helmet, and exited the room in his costume.

"Thank you Suzaku, now please go to your designated position for the speech" Lelouch replied and Suzaku quickly saluted and left for his position.

(Outside the command center)

"Attention!" a voice was heard calling and the entire 50.000 men corps stood to attention.

Jeremiah, Viletta, Kewell and Suzaku( with a helmet on his head) were all standing before huge columns and rows of soldiers, each one of them where about 150 feet apart from the next person, and all where about half a meter if front of the rows and columns

They watched as Lelouch dressed in his Zero armor, cape and helmet step to the front of a platform which was positioned in front of the corps, above the platform a pair of speakers, and a TV screen the size of those used at rock concerts was present, between the first row of men and the platforms edge there where tv cameras which filmed the whole ordeal.

Lelouch finished strolling down the platform, reached its end, saluted the men and said:

"At ease ".

"This is a new army corps the 42nd the first in my army "The Black Knights" and I am your commander Major General Lelouch vi Brittannia, my code name on the battle field is Zero, you will address me by rank off General, Sir or Commander and by name of Lelouch or Zero.

You will not address me as my lord or you highness, this is not the imperial court, this is an army, and I expect you all to follow this request, is that understood?"

"Yes ,sir!" they all replied

He then began his speech while pacing across the platform.

"All of you have seen the news reports, and have heard stories, so I decided to come here and show you if I really am such a big royal son of a bitch as everyone says I am!" he said and the entire corps laughed wholeheartedly.

"Now! An army is a team, it works like a well oiled machine; we sleeps together eat together and fight together".

"Every soldier does his part in battle, let's says one soldier decides that he doesn't want to fight and runs away when nobody's looking, and this is what happens, first the squat is defeated, then the company in is attached to, then the battalion, the regiment, the division, and finally the whole army is defeated because some coward refused to do his duty and abandon his brothers in arms, everyone has a job to do which is essential to an army, even those who dig the latrines so we don't fall prey to poor hygiene."

"A common soldier is as valuable to the army as it's commanding general, and it's general is as worthless as a common soldier"

"All that hogwash about aces and generals who win battles on their own was made up by the same idiots who also tried to drown a fish!" a stream of approval cheers rose from the crowd and after it died down Lelouch continued.

"Now I am guessing that most off you know what hell week is, it is a whole week to those who volunteer for the Navy SEALS core in which they are pushed to the limit, I will apply the training methods of hell week in a rigorous there month training exercise upon you, the reason for this is that I was not present when you where trained, so I do not know how well prepared you are for combat, I do this because leading poorly trained troops in combat, is like taking pigs to a slaughter and I have come here to lead you to victory, not death and defeat.

"For what I will put you through, you will hate me for the rest of your life, and when your grandchildren ask you about the Iron Prince, you will tell them without hesitation that "I hated the son of a bitch" a small round of laughter followed.

"However because of my training, you will be able to hit your targets when other soldiers would have missed them, you will fight longer while other would have collapsed from exhaustion, and you will survive battles while other soldiers would have died in them,… you will hate me until you are old and wrinkled, but the good news is that under my command you will have a better chance of reaching old age." He paused for a moment to let this sink in and started pacing a few steps in Suzaku's direction and started to continue.

"However the fact remains that during a wars no amount of training will prevent the eventual death of soldiers, and some of those present here will die," he stopped in front of Suzaku and behind him where Japanese soldiers, he took the glove of his left hand and showed the scar from when he stabbed himself in Shinjuku towards the soldiers" I would like all of you to know that I vow to bring as many of you back alive as possible, however some of you will die! …And to those of you who I will not be able to keep my vow" Lelouch said as he got on one knee and bowed his head towards "This humble soul begs for forgiveness for not been able to keep his vow" he said and a wave of shock and silence filled the crowd, for a prince of Brittannia to actually say he is sorry and apologize on his knees was something unheard off.

The moment of silence continued for about 15 seconds, when it was interrupted by Suzaku.

"It…It's not your fault general, that's how war is, soldiers die, it does nothing good to blame yourself for the war" he said and a round of approval came from the other assembled soldiers which quickly downed out the silence.

Lelouch rose from his kneeling position, waited for the sounds of approval to die out and continued.

"Now this army has rules, a code which is as sacred to u s as the Ten Commandments are to a christain which I expect everyone to follow"

"The first rule is that of merit, this army will be a meritocracy, during training and combat I will evaluate you r performance, if I see a soldier who shows leadership qualities I will promote him to the rank of a general if he has the necessary skills, but if I see a general who is incompetent then I will demote that general to the rank of a private if I have too!" he then took two steps forwards and roared out:

"Mather's of religious and political beliefs, background, personal history, and methods of operation are irrelevant, skill is essential, and so the first rule in this army's code will be "Our rank is our merit".

He pause and a round of applause appeared from the gathered men, since most of the enlisted men would probably only make it as far as sergeant, but the prospect of rising through the ranks delighted them.

"The second rule of the code is "Camaraderie is sacred", there will be no quarrels, no arguments, no insults between comrades, for you all will depend on the man besides you to watch your back and you cannot expect that if the two of you to not get along, you are brothers in arms, so you must love protect and cherish your brother, DO YOU UNDERSTAND!

"Sir, yes sir" the army responded.

"Good! The third and final rule is the following "Fight the soldier, give arms to the vanquished, protect and respect the civilian". He paused for a moment to let this sink in.

"This is the most important of all the rules, for a soldiers duty is to fight other soldiers, but when an enemy soldier surrenders a black knight shows them mercy, gives him food is he is hungry, water is he is thirsty, and medicine if he is wounded, a person who does not to these things, is not a black knight, he is not a soldiers, he is a rabbet dog which needs to be put down.

"The second part of the rule "Protect and respect the civilian" is also very important, the civilian population is not to be involved in the fighting, a person who willingly steals from a civilian ,kills a man, rapes a woman is not a black knight, not soldier, not a human being, HE IS GARBAGE.

AND I WILL SHOOT THE RABBET DOGS AND HUMAN GABAGE WHO PRETEND TO BE SOLDIERS, WHO PRETEND TO BE BLACK KNIGHTS MYSELF" he then gestured towards the gun on his belt "I WILL THEN SEND A LETTER TO THAT PERSON'S MOTHER WHICH WILL READ: MADAM YOUR SON WAS TRASH, SO WE USSED HIM FOR TARGET PRATICE AND THEN THROUGH HIM IN A DUMPSTER, ONLY THOSE WHO ARE PREAPERED TO BE KILLED , HAVE THE RIGHT TO KILL! "And you all know I am a man of my word!" He said with an evil and demonic tone in his voice.

He then paused for a moment to let them sink in and he noticed the expression of fear forming on their faces, which pleased him greatly, for a soldier, will restrain himself from the above mentioned evils from fear of punishment.

"To those of you who feel they cannot meet the standards of being a black knight, you have until tomorrow to think it over, if you decide that you cannot fulfill the requirements you calmly sign a transfer form, YOU THEN TAKE A TRIP DOWN WASHOUT LANE" he said and pointed to the left symbolically, even though they were in open field.

"I WOULD RATHER HAVE TEN HONOURABLE AND CHIVALROUS BLACK KNIGHTS BESIDES ME THEN TEN MILLION SOLDEIERSW WHO DO NOT MEET THE REQUIRMENTS" he roared out , paced a few steps to his left and then said:

"To those of you who decide to stay I will unveil to you our standard" after that a massive flag unveiled behind him, it was a black background flack with the symbol of Geass with a sword stuck in it.

"This is our symbol, the iron hawk, a hawk is a noble bird and unlike other birds who must use great effort to maintain flight, a hawk is able to do this without constantly flapping it's wings, to the hawk flying is as natural as breathing, the same thing applies to a black knight, to him fighting and respecting the before mentioned code of honor will be as natural as breathing or sleeping"

"We will not ask how many enemies there are but where they are, and we will hi them so hard and so fast that they're ancestors will fell the blows"

"And to those of you who decide to remain under my command this is what I tell you will happen, like a single grain of rice is able to tip the scale, we will do the same in a battle" he continued with his voice rising which each sentence

"The one decisive factor between victory and defeat we will be that factor, the ones who decide the course of the battle , the one factor who decides the course of a war, the country forgers, the country smashers, the king makers and breakers, WE THE BLACK KNIGHTS WILL DECIDE THE FATE OF THE WORLD"

"WHAT SAY YOU BLACK KNIGHTS ! SOUNDS GOOD?"

To this question a deafening roar of cheers, whistles and applauses flooded the area like a tidal wave, their commander was beyond what they would ever imagined.

All members of those present Brittannians, Japanese ,South Americans ,Mexicans and Canadians all now shared the same admiration for their leader.

(Pendragon city throne room)

Upon hearing his speech and watching his gestures the nobility was shocked, and all heads turned towards the Emperor who was sitting on his throne, they were expecting him to erupt in anger, to order Lelouch's arrest and execution for his boldness, but nothing prepared them for what the Emperor did….he chuckled.

"It seems that things have gotten rather interesting , I look forward to viewing his exploits" Charles said and that sentiment was shared by Schneizell and Cornelia who were also in the room, but for the rest of the room, the nobles and other princes and princesses the sentiment they shared was fear…fear that Lelouch was steadily gaining favor with the emperor, for there was not a single noblemen who did not hate the Empress Marianne and had not viewed Lelouch and Nunnally as bastard children of a commoner whore, Lelouch knew that, and they knew he knew that, and now there was a danger he would make them pay for that.

The effects of Lelouch, his words and his actions were being felt through the whole world now, from that moment on the end of the old world had started, what would happen in the future was now anybody's guess.


	9. Phase IX:Narita I:Units assemble

Phase IX: Narita arc part I: Units assemble!

(Tokyo Concession)

Euphemia was in one word disappointed, disappointed namely in herself, for as she looked at Lelouch and Suzaku she realized she was the only one not working.

It had been a month since Lelouch made his speech towards the 42nd that shocked the world, and barely was she deciding to do some real work.

Since becoming vice governor or sub viceroy al she had done was watch as her sister Cornelia governed Japan.

Suzaku willingly went through all the abuse and denigration of the military in the hopes of proving to Brittannia that the number system was wrong, Lelouch literally fought and won so he could give them back their livelihood, while she who always had an ambition to change the country did nothing.

"Well no more!" she said to herself as her driver took her to her destination, she poured over the legislature and noticed that if a Brittanian suffers from drug side effects he or she would be placed in jail for about 3 years, but if a number had the same fate he or she would be thrown in jail for 20.

Deciding that she had to start somewhere she was now on her way towards Kofu Penitentiary, the policy regarding drug related felonies she had changed, but she still thought she had to supervise the transfer of drug victims from prison to rehab clinics herself.

(Stadfelt manor)

"So you're going to see your mother?"Millie asked over the phone.

"Yes, so I won't be able to meet up with you guys today, sorry about that" Kallen said over the phone.

Millie was the only person in Kallen's life who knew about her Japanese mother, she came to her house and found out a few weeks ago, Kallen by now had reconcile with her mother after realizing the only reason she remained in that house was for her sake, she had lied to Millie that she convinced her mother to move out off the house into an apartment, for she didn't really like the idea of her friends knowing she was arrested for refrain.

Kallen left her room and went passed her stepmother on her way out, they didn't talk but they did share intensive glares.

She took a taxi and when she arrived at Kofu prefecture she saw something that horrified her, Brittannians dressed in white taking her mother and other patients to some transport vehicles.

"Let go off her!" she said and ran towards the soldiers, Kallen tackled one of them and was about to brawl with the others when a voice was heard.

"Everyone stop!" Euphemia shouted and they complied.

"Princess Euphemia!" Kallen said amazed, Euhpie's face had recently been appearing constant in the papers.

"Miss Stadfeld!" Euphemia said surprised to see her, she knew her from Lelouch stories about his school mates, then she remembered that they didn't knew that Lelouch was a prince, the confused look on Kallen's face reminded her of that.

"How do you know my name?" Kallen asked.

"Eh..Well Duke Lamperouge is an acquaintance of mine and he told me about you." She said nervously.

Thankfully it wasn't such an unheard of notion for a noble to befriend a prince or princess so Kallen believed it.

"Besides that, where are you taking my mother?" she asked with slight anger in her tone and she stood between her mother and the brittannian soldiers.

"To a rehab center" Euphemia replied.

"Rehab?".

"But the law doesn't send elevens to rehab, only brittannians!" Kallen retorted.

"Yes, well we've started a crack in the law regarding ethnic discrimination and I came here to oversee it personally, since this is my first duty as sub-viceroy" Euphemia replied with a smile.

Kallen was a little taken aback by this, but was hesitant to believe it.

Euphemia saw this and decided to act.

"You can come with us if you like and see for yourself" she gestured towards her limousine, Kallen was hesitant at first, but she accepted, since she saw no other solution to this situation.

While in the limousine Kallen remembered that Euphemia said Lelouch's name

"You know him? You know Lelouch" she asked.

"He's a very important person to me.

He's like a brother to me" Euphemia replied and giggled softly, the irony of the situation only she was aware off.

"He mentioned Rivalz his gambling partner, Shirley, Millie "The party president" , and also you miss Stadfeld, are you his girlfriend?" she asked with a smile.

Kallen blushed greatly and said:

"No, that's not it! We're just friends!"

This reaction gave Euhpie's mouth a broad smile, she could tell that they weren'y dating, but also that she was smitten with her brother Lelouch, she wondered how Kallen would react if she knew Lelouch was keeping a mistress ( she herself could hardly believe it when Cornelia told her, and even she met her herself ).

"Lelouch really is a womanizer isn't he" Euphemia meant to say that in her mind and she accidentally said it out loud, she quickly covered her mouth realizing her mistake.

To this Kallen remembered that Shirley was romantically interested in him, and now she found out that a princess spoke highly of him too.

At this Kallen got angry and shouted.

"Yes he is! I DON'T KNOW WATS THE MATHER WITH HIM, EVERY GIRL HE MEETS IS SEMINGLY SMUDERED BY HIM, HE'S AN ENEMY TO ALL WOMEN!"

At this Euphie giggled whole heartedly, although she did not like Lelouch's apparent womanizing ways, she did appreciate the fact that he had a taste for very interesting people to surround himself with.

30 minutes they arrived at the rehab clinic.

Kallen saw it and was amazed at its beauty, it laid outside the city in an open field, it had gardens filled with beautiful flowers and there was a fountain also present.

It looked more like a holiday retreat that a clinic, she then saw her mother taken inside in a wheelchair.

She was immensely grateful that her mother was getting treatment but also curious why would somebody do this to what was considered in Brittannia a second class citizen.

"I don't mean to be ungrateful….but why are you doing this? This clinic looks like it cost a lot of money, so why are you spending it like this" she said as she saw other Japanese refrain victims of refrain been taken into the clinic, the hotdog vender she met before was among them.

At this a sad face covered her normally cheerful one and Euphemia replied:

"To these people living is so unbearable that they bury themselves in the past, we blame the drug dealers for this, but the one's to blame is us, if things weren't like this refrain would never have existed, " She paused for a moment and t hen continued "My brother commander Zero created the Phoenix Fund to give them back their livelihood and give them hope for the future , he created an army of Numbers to show the Empire they aren't as they say they are, I cannot simply stand by the sidelines and do nothing while he fights against injustice"

Kallen was speechless, so there were more of the royal family that did not agree to Britannia's colonial policy, and this was the third princess a high ranking member of the royal family no less!

Euhpie saw this and quickly said:

"Sorry, you had to listen to my ramble….nobody listens to me anyway….nobody but him( she thought of Suzaku) and blushed slightly.

After a few moments of silence Kallen broke them by saying:

"I thank you for helping my mother" and bow my head slightly.

"Domo" Euhpie replied which confused Kallen for a moment, but she did not have time to ponder upon it for her watch beeped reminding her that she was to be due at the JLF base in three hours .

She say goodbye and then departed.

Euphemia also looked at her watch and saw that she also was supposed to be somewhere and quickly departed as well.

(Cornelia's mobile command center, Narita mountain range)

Lelouch looked as Cornelia listened to the briefing, the forces brought to the operation where from the Japan stationed army, the 42nd still had two months of training so it was not deployed for this operation.

We're certain that the Japan Liberation Front's headquarters are in this Area." Dalton reported, standing before Cornelia as the command center drew close to the mountains "We've already split up four battalions and hidden them in the vicinity, all we need is the Viceroy's signal and we'll surround them in one fell swoop and wipe them out."

"Sister…" Euphemia voiced, the pink haired princess looking up at her elder sibling, who was seated once more on her command chair "Are you confident that the enemy won't show up outside the encirclement line?"

"You mean Todoh?" Cornelia asked, one leg crossed over the other as she sat in her chair, Guilford at her side as Dalton reassured her sibling "If he does that we can call up the reserve units to finish him off."

"We will block the main roads leading towards Narita when the operation begins" Darlton replied.

"Even with superior forces, we must not underestimate him! Narita must not become a second Itsukushima!" Lelouch said.

"And what do you suggest we do besides these preparations Lelouch?"Cornelia asked her brother.

Lelouch knew from the microphone he put on Todoh's blade that he was preparing for this day, the battery unfortunately only lasted 36 hours, but it gave him more than enough information.

Lelouch walked towards the field map and explained his plan.

"In any battle whoever holds the high ground has an advantage if he is attacked, he used that advantage at Itskushima, I suggest I take my personal guard, slip past the enemy lines, and position myself here and when they bring their full force out we'll catch them in the crossfire" he pointed out the tallest peak in the whole mountain.

"It is unlikely they'd have occupied hat area because of the difficult terrain and little room to maneuver" he continued.

Cornelia was not pleased with this plan; the peak would only allow for a handful of knightmares maybe 5 or six to be deployed there undetected.

"If you do this there is a risk you could be surrounded and killed!, I see the merit off using the enemy's own terrain advantage against them, but why risk you own life like that" she asked.

At that question Lelouch only smiled and said:

"If the king doesn't lead his knights will not follow, and besides you go to the frontlines yourself, sowe how is it any different from me going"

To Cornelia the difference was that although she herself had no problem with risking her life, the thought of her loved ones risking they're lives terrified her, this was an attribute shared by all humans.

"Alright! But you will only charge down if I say so, you remain hidden until I give the command is that understood general?" Cornelia said.

"Yes sir!" Lelouch replied and saluted, he then continued.

"Also I would like the civilians to be evacuated from Narita, here are suitable locations for their relocations" he pointed a few area's on the map.

"Do you think it is necessary, I doubt the fighting would spread towards the town?" Guilford asked.

"Please indulge me this one time, call me paranoid, but the sole reason I joined the army was to make sure that civilians do not get caught in the crossfire" Lelouch answered.

The answer was a sentiment shared by everyone in the room and the complied to it.

"It will take at least an hour for that, during that time I suggest you deploy your men General" Darlton replied.

Lelouch saluted and went to do just that.

Upon hearing this Euphemia gave her sister a worried look.

"I know what you're feeling Euphie, I don't like seeing him on the battlefield either….. but Lelouch is West Pointer after all, and if I hadn't permitted him to join he would have done so without my permission" she said an breathed a breath of exasperation.

Cornelia was make last minute checks when she remembered something and pulled out a memory stick from her pocket.

"By the way Euphie , before I give the order to assault transmit this towards the JLF, Lelouch gave it to and said it was for atmosphere" Cornelia said and gave the flash disk to Euphie, she then went to prepare for battle.

(Narita mountain hilltop, Lelouch's position)

Lelouch was surveying the field bellow a few hundred feet from his companions, who where Jeremiah, Viletta ,Kewell and Suzaku in their Sutherland, and Lancelot when C.C appeared.

"What are you doing here?" she walked up to her and asked angrily.

"Making sure you are safe, we have a contract after all" she replied indeferently.

"Lelouch, do you know why snow is white?

Some say that it is white because it has no name?" C.C asked him.

Lelouch at the moment didn't have time nor the patients for this woman, so he stomped to his Sutherland, and a minute later returned to C.C and placed an R.P.G in her arms.

"What's this for?"

"It's for the damn JLF if they show up, I can't just jump into battle and leave you here defenseless" he retorted.

"He ! How very gentlemen of you, does the thought of loosing me fill your heart with fear, I didn't know you cared for me so much!" she said and smile devilishly.

"Stop deluding yourself witch! I have a feeling if you died you'd haunt me for the rest of my life for not fulfilling you're bloody request, whatever it is!" he said and stormed off.

(Ashford Academy)

"Ha! You want to meet Princess Euphemia!" Millie said to Nina.

"We'll I'd like to thank her for Kawaguchi" Nina responded.

"Well you'd need rank in order to have an audience with her!

Hey Nina , what position in high society do you think the granddaughter of a school director has?" Millie asked while she waived her legs.

"Hmmm, so so?" Nina replied.

"Eh.. so so." Millie said.

"Well I may have a friend who could do that for you" Mille replied with a grin.

(Narita Mountains)

"ACHEWWWWWWWWWWW !" Lelouch sneezed violently.

"Someone must be gossiping about you "Suzaku said over the radio hearing Lelouch's sneeze.

"It's Millie" Lelouch responded.

"How do you know that?" Suzaku asked.

"Because all of a sudden a chill came over me, that only happens when Millie is scheming!" he said with a slight tremble.

At this Suzaku chuckled slightly, for in the past months they'd been at Ashford, he also went through Millie crazy shenanigans.

Just then a text message was received from home base.

"Civilians evacuations complete, everyone prepare for combat!" Lelouch said and they all complied.

Meanwhile Cornelia was preparing to began the battle.

"The Japan Liberation Front, you who have remained trapped in the past , you who have forgotten that the times have changed will now perish into forgotten, with your dream of an independent Japan," she said and then remembered the flash disk Lelouch gave her and send an order to play it.

The flash disk was inserted and a video transmission was broadcasted towards the JLH.

(JLF Base headquarters)

"Sir, were receiving a transmission!" one of the communication officers said towards Katase.

"Put it on screen1" Katase ordered.

The transmission appeared onscreen and they're was the image of the Iron Prince present, needless to say it made Katase and everybody else in the room jump up from their seats from shock.

"Japan Liberation Front….you who dare take the name off freedom fighters and drag it in the mud, you who claims the title of Rebels and the you rape it just for amusement, I say to you, YOU ARE NOT WORTHYOF THOSE TITTLES!…" Lelouch's booming voice said, which was also heard to the entire base courteously of a little worm virus which was too small in it's programmed target that the firewall was not able to detect it.

"What does he mean?" Kallen said to the other members of the resistance who were present in the knightmare hangar.

"IN ANY COUNTRY, IN ANY LANGUAGE, OF ANY AGE A REBELS IS SOMEONE WHO OPPOSES A CURENT GOVERNMENT OR ORDER AND FIGHTS AGAINST, AND I SAY TO YOU, YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF SUCH A TITLE, FOR A REBEL ATTACKS A GOVERNMENT OF A COUNTRY , NOTE IT'S PEOPLE!"

"A REBEL KILLS ENEMY SOLDEIRS, NOT INNOCENT CIVILIANZ WHO CANNOT FIGHT BACK AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CURENT POLITICAL SITUATION, HE BOMBES ARMY BASES, AMBUSHES MILILTARY CONVOIS, NOT HIJACKS AND DETONATES AIRPLANES AND BLOWS UP PUB'S, I SAY YOU ARE NOT REBELS, FOR YOU DO NOT ACT LIKE THEM" Lelouch said.

"YOU CLAME TO BE REBELS, BUT YOU ACTIONS AT KAWAGUCHI WAS THAT OF NOHING BUT COLD BLOODED TERRORISM, AND MUREDERING THE DEFENSLESS".

To Oughi this was pretty much true, he like many other fought against Brittannian, but they knew that what Kusakabe did was not what a freedom fighters did, it was murder plain and simple, and hearing it from the mouth of Zero made it feel much worse.

That sentiment was shared by Todoh and Katase.

"HOWEVER, YOU WILL GET THE CHANGE TO EARN THE RIGHT TO CALL YOURSELF REBEL,AND I ZERO THE IRON PRINCE AND NIDDHOG OF BRITTANNIA WILL GIVE IT TO YOU" Lelouch said and paused for a moment.

"HERE ,ON THIS BLOODY DAY, ON THIS FORGOTTEN MOUNTAIN **YOU WILL EARN THE RIGHT TO CALL YOURSElF REBELS**" he said and then Cornelia decided to not wait any longer and mobilized her troops.

"Enemy units spotted, we estimate over 300 knightmare units, and great numbers of infantry!" the communications officer replied.

This set a shock t rough the room, and Katase was appalled at seeing the great numbers of enemy soldiers appear on the screen.

"The enemy is also transmitting a demant for surrender, should we reply?"

"Idiot! If we do that, the resistance movement will end here!" Katase said, he then turned to Todoh and asked:

"Are the troops ready?"

"Yes sir! Our troops and our allies are in position, give the word general and I will lead the attacj myself!" Todoh responded to his commander.

"Very well,…All troops prepare to move forward, go knowing the pride and honor of Japan is with you!" Katase said over the base speakers.

(Knightmare hangar base 3)

"We are really going to do it!, Fight Brittannia!" Inoue said to the rest of the group.

Everyone in the resistance group knew what that meant and mounted their knightmares.

Oughi was in his knightmare praying to Buddha to give him strength, when Todoh face came on his knightmare screen.

"Major Oughi, the first wave will now deploy, you're squadron and the Guren will be part of the second wave, is that understood?"

"Yes sir!" Oughi replied, and he started mentally preparing himself for his first real battle.

(Narita mountain peak)

Lelouch saw as the JLF and Cornelia's forces started fighting with each other and indivertibly started reciting an old poem by James Joyce in his mind.

He saw the Sutherland's go up the slopes.

**I hear an army charging upon the land,  
And the thunder of horses plunging; foam about their knees:  
Arrogant, in black armour, behind them stand,  
Disdaining the reins, with fluttering whips, the Charioteers**

He saw as the JLF units started coming out and both sides started firing at each other.

**They cry into the night their battle name:  
I moan in sleep when I hear afar their whirling laughter.  
They cleave the gloom of dreams, a blinding flame,  
Clanging, clanging upon the heart as upon an anvil.**

JLF and Brittannian's flooded the air with noise from cannon and gun, and the earth shook from artillery, and rocks where being minced by bullets .

He heard from listening on the radio that the Sutherland pilots where cocky and overconfident, because of their overwhelming firepower and the same thing could be said for the JLF since they had Todoh and from what he could tell from intercepted radio transmissions the so called "Royal Killer " who allegedly "killed" Clovis.

He sighted in frustration, both sides were already thought they had won the battle when it had barely began, how stupid human could be they had filled their hearts with battle fever and he knew she was a fickle mistress which could kiss you now, and stab you latter.

**They come shaking in triumph their long grey hair:  
They come out of the sea and run shouting by the shore.  
My heart, have you no wisdom thus to despair?  
My love, my love, my love, why have you left me alone?**

"Humans really are such disgusting creatures!" he blurted out loud over his knightmare speakers

"My lord?" Jeremiah asked confused.

"Nothing, just thinking out loud" Lelouch replied and the subject was put to rest.

**READ AND REVIEW, LET ME KNOW IF I SHOULD CONTINUE**

Also I would like to say that some parts where lifted from LilyFlowers1987 "Lelouch of the Revolution" so I am crediting her as co author for the previous three chapters.


	10. Phase X:NaritaII Black Knight vs Slayers

Phase X:Narita Arc part II: Black Knights vs. the Slayers

(Darlton's theater of war)

Darlton and his men where leading the charge up the slopes.

"Be prepared for when the enemy comes out in…..what do they call them?" Darlton asked.

"Burai sir". One of his subordinates replied.

"Ah! yes, just watch out for the thing which looks like a Glasgow" Darlton replied, just then they came under fire from enemy units, and they stopped they're advance and started returning fire.

(Cornelia's theater of operation)

She and her royal guard where advancing across the mountain, when suddenly she saw a squadron of Burai's coming out from a trap door in front of them.

"Princess, I'd think it's best if you'd stay behind and let us take care of this" Guilford said towards Cornelia.

"Guilford, don't treat me like one of your women!" Cornelia said and she charged the three Burai's in front of her.

"Princess wait!" Guilford said as he saw her scream.

"It's Cornelia!" one of the Burai pilots said on his speaker.

"Calm down! Take down they're leader!" another one said, and the three of them started firing at Cornelia.

"Insignificant, weaklings! " Cornelia said as she made a 180 degrees slash with her rocket lance and hit all three of the Burai where knocked down, the first and second hit where disabled and the third Cornelia impaled on her lance.

She then turned to the right and launched a slash harken at a machine gun turret and destroyed it.

"It can't be helped, we will provide support for you" Guilford said with a smile on his face with an exhale from his lungs.

"Cornelia is here! Whoever thinks he can claim my head, LET HIM COME!" she said over the speakers.

Katase looked at the video display and saw the massive difference between the two armies.

"First squadron is now down to 50% strength".

"Major Nakamura has been killed"

"Captain Jimbey if reporting heavy assault on his position"

Katase listened to the reports, and despite the sheer difference in firepower he was calm, for Todoh was with the JLF, he had now gone to his hanger to start his attack with the Shiseiken.

"Todoh with you here the Kamikaze now blows once more, show me the miracle of Itsukushima one more time!" Katase said in his mind and continued to watch the flow of battle.

(Cornelia's position)

A flare went up from Dalton's position, signaling that her Knight had located the headquarters of the rebels.

"We'll secure our position here." She ordered, speaking to Guilford and the rest of her escort over the radio smiling at the Knight's enquiry "Send a reserve force to back up Dalton…looks like he'll be getting another medal."

(Narita peak, Lelouch's position)

"As expected of you sister, a well thought off deployment and strategy, as soon as you find the position of the main entrance, you will no doubtable concentrate all your forces there…..under normal circumstances that would work, let us hope it works today as well" Lelouch said to himself.

(Euphemia's position,Mobile command center)

"We've determined that the enemy's main trust is from this side of the mountain, and our sending all off our forces to that location" one of the commanding officers told Euphemia who was watching the battle on the electronic field map.

Just then the map started to become blurry.

"Enemy's ECM, if they activated it knows it means they're toughing in their last trough of the dice" another officer informed Euphie.

(Todoh's position Narita forest)

Todoh had used a hidden underground pass to move from the command cottage and to his troops position, he watched trough a pair of binoculars the Brittannian army clustering into one big behemoth.

"Tell the artillery positions on the surrounding peaks to start firing, also tell the fox holes that they have permission to fire at will" he said towards one of his officers, he then turned towards his force of Five Burai Kai, 10 regular Burai's and about 70 tanks and said.

"All units follow me to battle, today we finish what was started at Itsukushima!" he said and they all cheered and roared and followed him in the charge.

(Cornelia's theater)

Cornelia watched her field map, as it showed numerous hidden enemy units appear all around them.

"My lady the reserve force from myself and Alex cannot deploy, apparently mine fields who were deactivated have been activated , also fox holes who remained hidden during our initial attack have started firing at us" Darlton told her over the phone.

"Looks like Todoh is truly a man not to be trifled with, maintain your position until reinforcements break through, do not attempt to assault the summit without back up!" Cornelia replied.

"Understood!" Darlton replied.

All of a sudden shells started to fall on her army, and she realized Todoh plan.

Todoh used the main base as bait in order to get her troops to funnel up into one tight zone, the foxholes we're being used not to stop them from reaching the summit, but to trap them on the mountain!

While artillery pieces from the surrounding peaks would decimate their formation!

(Kallen's position, third hangar)

Kallen waited impatiently for this battle, her first time in a real army, first time against Brittannia.

"It's pay back for Shinjuku" she said to herself.

"Everyone listen up, we've just got permission to attack, we head towards our designated pozition and block off any enemy units who attempt to escape!" Oughi said towards the other resistance members and they all rushed out of the door, which was situated a few dozen feet from the peak.

They were out in the open, when all of a sudden a hail of fire disabled Sugiyama's Burai.

Kallen immediately jumped and ran and dodge the hail of fire, she then looked up towards the peak with the rest of the "Slayers" as was Oughi's group nickname and saw five Sutherlands and a white knightmare.

"Hey! Isn't that….." Tamaki said a bit shocked while looking up.

"Yes! It's that white knightmare from Kawaguchi and Shinjuku!"Oughi replied.

"That means…..!" Inoue said.

"Zero! So you've come out on the front lines!" Kallen said towards Lelouch up on the peak.

"Hooo! I am flattered you recognized me and my black knights, and judging from your moves you must be the pilot of the Red Knightmare from Shinjuku, I was quite impress with the security footage, shall we Dance?Lady Devil?" he replied to her.

At this Kallen angrilly prepared to charge him, but was stopped when Suzaku Suddenly jumped in front of her.

(Lancelot mobile transport unit)

"Hooo! That knightmare looks pretty strong; we should be able to see something interesting now!" Lloyd said with glee.

"Lord Lloyd! Suzaku may be killed, you lack discretion!" Cecile responded but she was too concerned for Suzaku to continue the argument and also continued to watch the fight.

"Eh did I say something wrong? I wasn't aware"

"Would you like a detailed explanation?"

"Err, no I'll pass."

"Japan's revenge is here and now" she said and she lunged herself at Lancelot.

Suzaku immediately fired three rounds at her, Kallen was able to doge the bullets.

Kallen then charged and Suzaku lunged out with a kick from the left leg, Kallen caught it with her right arm and activated the radiation wave. Suzaku Knightmare was equipped with a special extra footing for rocky terrain and upon seeing this he immediately detached the extra footing.

Kallen then pulled out her knife attempted a to stab the Lancelot in the head, Suzaku ducked and hit the Guren with his right elbow which pushed Kallen back and then he fired a few rounds from his Varis rifle towards the Guren.

"Take care of her Lancelot; the rest of us will attack the rest of her squadron!" Lelouch said and they engaged The Slayers.

"Lelouch clashed with Oughi, Viletta with Inouye, Kewell with Yoshida and Jeremiah with Tamaki and Sugiyama.

Kallen immediately maneuvered backwards and dodged the bullets, she then began to charge Suzaku again.

"My God! It's as fast as the Lancelot!" He said and then pulled out his sword and prepared to fight I n melee.

"If I can just take him down! " Kallen screamed as she dodged another bullet.

Suzaku then kicked towards her the other extra footing on his left foot and Kallen deflected it with her knife; Kallen then jumped into the air and landed behind him ,Suzaku quickly turned around and Kallen did a whirlwind slash with her Radiation Wave arm Suzaku ducked back and to the left to avoid it, Kallen then did a whirlwind kick with her right leg, forcing Suzaku to a handstand to avoid it and to quickly propel himself from that position into the air to put some distance between the two of them.

Suzaku landed 60 feet behind her; Kallen turned around and started charging him again towards the Lancelot. Suzaku fired his slash harkens towards Kallen and she blocked them with her Radian wave and destroyed them.

"That's your weapon" Kallen said and made another wide slash with her Radiation wave arm, Suzaku was forced to jump and dodge the blow, but Kallen managed to smash the Varis rifle, he then began to turn in mid air and attacked Kallen with a series of merciless slashes with his sword while his body was spinning.

Kallen caught the sword and destroyed it with her radiation wave arm, Suzaku quickly acted and before Kallen could respond he grabbed her two arms just below the wrists and now their battle was know a clash of strength, the first one who managed to push the other one would win and both pushed their land spinners at maximum and both where now in a contest of strength.

(Mobile command center)

"Enemy units are appearing out of the surrounding forests" one officer said.

"No wonder we did not see them coming, they didn't used the roads!"Another one said

"Prince Lelouch has engaged they're final reserve and are holding against them"

"Then let's have the Viceroy fall back towards this position and….." another one said

"WAIT! Something is moving behind the Viceroy!" Euphemia said as she watched the tactical map.

(Cornelia's Theater of operations)

"What! Lelouch is has been attacked!" Cornelia said towards Guilford.

"Yes it seem the enemy had one of its units deploy no to far from his position" Guilford replied towards his liege.

"Very well, we mus go and give my brother support, ALL UNITS PREPARE TO MOVE TOWARDS THE PEAK!" she said and was prepared to do that, but suddenly her radar detected enemy forces not to far from her own position.

"All units prepare for battle!"Todoh said to his men.

"Burai Kai's will attack Cornelia"

"The rest of the force will hit the enemy's back and flanks" Todoh said over the comm.

"Understood!"

"Understood!"

"Understood!"

"Understood!"

The four holy swords replied.

"Capture Cornelia and victory will be ours, take revenge for what happened seven years ago!"

"Yes sir ! By our honor as the four holy swords!"

"Yes sir! By our honor as the four holy swords!"

"Yes sir! By our honor as the four holy swords!"

"Yes sir! By our honor as the four holy swords!"

"What!" Cornelia said and she turned her head towards the direction where her radar showed enemy units.

Todoh Burai was seen as he jumped upon one the Gloucester and cut it down with his sword.

"Protect her highness!" Guilford said to his men.

A Gloucester next to Todoh quickly tried to charge him, but Todoh cut him down with his sword and continued his attack.

The four holy swords then came out behind him and followed him to battle.

"The Japan Liberation Front!" Cornelia said panicked, but not for herself, for she was used to combat, she was afraid for Lelouch, since now she could go to support him if she was attacked directly herself.

One of the Gloucester's started firing at Todoh, but he dodged "Circle and destroy the enemy" he said to his subordinates and then slashed the Gloucester at the torso, destroying it.

"Don't think of this as just on ordinary Burai!" Todoh said to his enemy.

"This reminds me of seven years ago!" Asahina said to his comrades.

"But it's different now, this time we have knightmares as well" Chiba replied.

"Your highness leaves them to us, you have to withdraw for now!" Guilford said as his lance clashed with Todoh's sword.

"Very well, I know a way to turn this around.

Guilford!" Cornelia told her knight.

"Yes!" he replied.

"After you drive them back, meet me at point nine" Cornelia ordered Guilford.

"Nine? I understand!" Guilford replied with a soft smile on his face.

"Cornelia!"

"Cornelia!" two of the four holy swords replied and charged towards her.

She fired her slash harkens at her; they both deflected them with their swords.

"You weaklings "Cornelia said and charged forward, Cornelia trusted forward with her lance, it was parried by one of the Burai Kai's with his blade and she used this to escape.

"Hold on Lelouch! I'll take down Todoh and then I'll come to hell you…..please god ….protect my little brother long enough for me to get to him" she said to herself as she continued on her way towards point nine.

Guilford and Todoh both continued to clash blades.

"I'd heard of Todoh and his reputation as a military commander, but I never thought he was this proficient!" Guilford thought in his mind

(Meanwhile at Darlton and Alex fronts)

Darlton was heavily bombarded from all sides, they're drive towards the peak had become a fight for survival.

He knew they could not go back, since on an assault on mountainous terrain the most skilled pilots got the fastest to the top, meaning the lesser skillet ones would fall back behind, and that was where the JLF main counterattack was at its strongest and with the fox holes and flank attacks combined with artillery from the surrounding mountains had turned their side of the Narita mountain into a death trap.

"We cannot go back since our own forces are so tightly packed, if we stay here where dead, so we must break through the sides of the front and we win!" Darlton said to his men.

"But if we manage to keep them in that pocket long enough, myself and the four holy swords can crush the royal guard and capture Cornelia!" Todoh told himself in his mind.

"Meaning! This battle's outcome can be for either side" Jeremiah said as he disabled Yoshida's knightmare making the cockpit eject and now turned towards Tamaki.

"Only the heaven's now know which side will prevail!" Lelouch said to himself as he clashed his stun tonfas with Oughi's, Oughi then pushed Lelouch against the side of one peaks rock trapping him.

"We will destroy you Zero and reclaim Japan!" Oughi said over the speakers.

"So your plan is to gain the freedom of your people, by killing the only member of the royal family who cares about Japan and actually did something that benefited it's people…That IS THRULLY A BRILLIAN PLAN!" Lelouch said in a mocked tone which highlighted the sheer idiocy of Oughi's words.

"No!...That….that's not it!" Oughi was taken aback and realized just what he said.

Sensing that he was mentally distracted Lelouch crouched down, making Oughi trust his tonfas into the rock behind Lelouch, Lelouch then put his arms around Oughi's abdomen and pushed hard forward pining Oughi's Burai on the ground and of the Burai turned on his right side.

Lelouch then jumped on him blocked Oughi's remaining free hand with his own left and told the recently promoted major the following words.

"Well, you gained rank because people though you killed my brother, you built your power base on that lie, NOW THE TRUTH COMES TO LIGHT!" Lelouch said with his thundering voice and he raised his right tonfa to a now terrified Oughi.

"Well Leader of the Slayers, I tell you an idiot like you could even hit the ground with his head, and since I am a nice guy I will be happy to help you do that!" Lelouch prepared to smash Oughi's cockpit and crush the resistance leader, "General look out behind you!" Suzaku's voice was heard over the comm. Lelouch turned around and saw the Guren coming at him full speed.

"You will not harm Oughi!" Kallen said and she slashed her Radiation wave arm at Lelouch, to which he quickly rolled of Oughi and managed to avoid the blow, but he was now lying on the ground

Kallen then jumped into the air over Oughi and was prepared to land on Lelouch and smash him with her Radiation wave, and in anticipation activated it before she made impact.

Lelouch managed to roll to the right before the Radiation wave hit him and avoid it, but because the Radiation Vawe was activated, combined with the fact that Kallen trusted it with fool strength towards Lelouch position, combined with the fact that she had jumped and had the inertia from falling to help her made the arm penetrate the ground until it hit a water deposit just six feet below the surface, and since the radiation wave was still on its full energy was now discarded into the water.

Just then the ground started to shake.

"Lady Devil what have you done!" Lelouch said towards Kallen and both Black knights and Slayers stopped fighting and watched in horror as a mud slide was forming right bellow their feat, they all tried to run but it was too late and they were all caught in the flow.

(Darlton theater of operation)

"A bloody mudslide, YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" he said and launched his slash harkens into the rock, others did the same thing, but most weren't fast enough.

The same thing happened at Guilford's position, however he was on the edge of the mud slide, so the force of it was not as strong, but he, his comrades and Todoh and the Shiseiken were all caught into the current.

(Lancelot transport vehicle)

"VOW! This is pretty strange" Lloyd said

"Do you think it's man made?" Cecile asked.

"What! That's highly impossible, you'd need something like Laksharta's radiation wave in order to do something like this" he responded towards Cecile.

Meanwhile.

Lelouch was now recuperating from the mud slide, at first he was puzzled why his knightmare was still intact, and then after a moment he realized why!

It was just like Siberia when they assaulted the Honey Comb, since they we're positioned where the mudslide started they were able to ride it like they rode the tidal wave.

He activated his field map and started contacting his subordinates.

He saw that Jeremiah's knightmare had been washed down right into the city, Kewell and Viletta where apparently with Darlton, Suzaku was in Cornelia region, he also saw the position of the enemy, even though they were fewer now thanks to the mudslide, but also the Brittanian army had suffered significant damage.

The radar then burned out, probably due to damage from the mudslide.

Just then heavy rain clouds blackened the sky, and heavy rain started to pour over Narita.

"Great! I'm alone, in a forest, blind to my surroundings and with a creepy atmosphere, all that's left is a Predator who communicates with the dialect skills of a cricket to become visible before me and WE HAVE OUR MOVIE!" he said with a sarcastic tone in his voice.

Just then his alarm rang and he quickly dodged a hail of bullets from his right, after that a knightmare jumped out from its hidden position.

"Speak of the Devil!" Lelouch said out loud.

Before him was the Guren, it was dirty with mud, but the rain, the darkened view from the clouds, the lightning bolts which started to appear made it seem like a real devil had appeared.

"Literally!" Lelouch said and he quickly went over the of a list of things he could do in this situation in his head.

"Out maneuvering it is impossible, because it's power, retreating is improbable because of its speed, so what is left to do"he said to himself, he then quickly threw something into the air in the general direction of the Guren and then charged it while shouting "if I can't retreat and if I can't maneuver then there's only one thing left for me to do is to attack AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

(Cornelia's position point nine)

"Lelouch answer my call Darlton come in, Alex report, Guilford, is anybody out there!" she called over the radio, from the tactical map on her Gloucester she saw that a mudslide had started where Lelouch position was and she prayed to God he was alright, she saw that what was left of the JLF and the Brittannian army was fighting it out.

"First thing I have to do is make contact with friendly forces", she said and she moved towards the nearest friendly beacon.

She was almost there when suddenly four Burai's with swords appeared in front of her.

"It's Cornelia! We must capture her!" Chiba said to her comrades and they started circling around her.

Cornelia was now trapped, surrounded by hostile forces.

(Narita city)

Jeremiah had just woken up from the temporary faintness the impact from hitting some mass of body.

He immediately noticed his Sutherland was stopped by some kind of cylinders and carboard juice containers in a small warehouse.

He left the warehouse and realized it was a paint warehouse and his Sutherland was covered in it, he looked in a nearby window glass which had survived the mudflow into town and realized his knightmare was now ORANGE.

Oranges where the one bloody food which he hated with all his heart, and now he was saved by BLOODY ORGANE:S AND BLOODY ORANGE PAINT!'

"HEH! I am the Orange goo goo g'joob g'goo goo g'joob!" he said with a chuckle and continued on his way out of town to link up with his commander, just then he noticed another knightmare was on the street.

It was not a friendly one, but it belonged to the JLF.

Jeremiah unsheathed his tonfas and said towards the enemy knightmare and said:

"Brigadier General Jeremiah Gotwald, his majesty prince Lelouch knights and second in command of the 42nd armed corps"

The opposing knightmare gave a slight bow and said:

"Colonel Todoh Kyoshiro, second to General Katase and commander of the JLF knightmare core" he said and raised his sword above his head and prepared to attack.

Both of them just stood there for a moment, and then the theme from The Good the Bad and the Ugly started playing suddenly on a radio that was turned on and somehow managed to survive the landslide.

Todoh and Jeremiah both stared at each other and the music started to make their blood boil.

The whistles started dying and the guitar part started playing and Jeremiah crossed his tonfas and Todoh prepared for an attack.

The town clock bell started ringing and the song reached the part where the trumpets started, a lightning bolt flashed in the background and both Jeremiah and Todoh charged at each other.

**Authors note**

**Yeah I know the part was kind of cheese with the town bell and the showdown, but I love Clint Eastwood.**

**So here's how I left them:**

**Lelouch vs. Kallen**

**Suzaku lost**

"**Jeremiah vs Todoh**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue.**


	11. Phase XI: Narita III: Victory and defeat

Phase XI: Narita III: Victory and defeat.

(Lelouch position)

Lelouch charged at Kallen and threw up an object and shouted:

"Here's a chaos grenade for you Lay Devil!"

Kallen immediately moved to the right to avoid it, but as she looked at the object thrown she realized it wasn't a chaos grenade, it was Lelouch's rifle! Then her alarm went off and she looked down to the right and saw a chaos grenade there, "He used his rifle as a distraction, and then rolled the grenade on the ground to my right!" she said to herself mentally. She immediately pointed her right arm towards the grenade and activated it, blocking its fire. She then turned her head back towards Lelouch and realized that he had fired his slash harkens at her, she parried them with her knife and left hand, but Lelouch kept charging and then she realized that with the grenade and the harkens he had rendered her two arms useless, she fired her own single harken embedded in her right chest plate, which severed Lelouch right arm and he rammed into Kallen giving her a punch with his left arm.

Kallen's immediate reflex after getting hit was to let herself be pushed by the force of the blow backwards and she attempted to do a black flip, but Lelouch caught her leg with his remaining left arm, he then performed a few 360 degrees torso spins and hurled Kallen like a rock is propelled from a slingshot, Kallen instinctively rolled in mid air, and prepared to land on her feet, but as she was a meter away from the ground Lelouch just then caught the rifle he had previously thrown into the air and fired the anti tank round in his rifle hitting Kallen right in her right arm and making her crash on the ground and roll several hundred meters backwards until she fall off a into a small ravine.

Luckily for Kallen Oughi was also there.

"Hey are you alright?" he asked her.

"Yeah I'm fine!" she responded.

He then looked at the Guren and saw that the left arm was broken.

"Looks like where going to have to fix that right arm of yours" he told Kallen

Just then Oughi looked up and saw a knightmare coming along, it was a Sutherland which was missing its right arm and it pointed it at Kallen and Oughi.

"I could kill the both of you from where I stand now, but the both of you are now a defeated foe and the code of the black knights forbids me from killing you, Are you injured Lady Devil? I hope I wasn't too rough with you" Lelouch told them with an eerie and grim tone in his voice which was both sinister and playful at the same time, a strange and rare combination which few could manage.

At this statement Kallen fury and hatred for Lelouch vi Brittannia only grew.

"TO HELL WITH YOU AND YOU'RE SO CALLED CHIVALRY! JUST KILL US AND BE DONE WITH IT!" she angrily shouted at Lelouch.

Just then Oughi received the retreat signal from headquarters.

"Kallen, we have orders to withdraw!" Oughi told her which was overheard by Lelouch since Oughi used his speakers.

"Oughi we can't withdraw! He'll just shoot us in the back the moment we begin to move!" she told him.

"I will not do such a thing! Lelouch vi Brittannia gives you his word!" he replied.

"Why would you not kill us? Now when you have the perfect chance?" Kallen replied and braced herself for Lelouch to start firing.

"Look around you Lady Devil!

Hasn't there been enough blood for one day?" he said which caught both Kallen and Oughi off guard.

Lelouch then lowered his rifle and said:

"Go now, retreat regroup, heal your wounds today and tomorrow we will fight again"

He then turned around and left.

Kallen and Oughi where unsettled by this and didn't know how to react, but a moment latter the signal for retreat beeped again and having nothing else better to do decided to obey.

As they walked away Kallen replayed what had happened just now in her head, she had managed to hold her own against that monstrous white head, but when facing Prince Lelouch she had the advantage in weaponry, surprise and experience, and yet she still lost!

It would have taken a miracle against those odds for he to win and he had done just that!

"Zero just made a small miracle! Maybe he truly is a dragon "she said to herself as she and Oughi continued towards the rendezvous point.

(Darlton's position)

"How much of our forces are operational?" he asked his subordinates.

"Sensors indicate only 20%!" one of his officers informed him

"20%! The chain of command couldn't have survived that!" he said in shock.

The JLF guns which where deep inside the rock had started firing again.

"Dam it! At a time like this!" he angrily said and started firing back towards the guns.

"All units fall back! We must rendezvous with the Commander and General Lelouch immediately" he ordered.

"But sir the enemy is right in front of us! And if we fall back now the damage to our unit will be…"

"YOU IDIOT! IT WILL ALL BE OVER IF WE LOOSE EITHER THE PRINCE OR PRINCESS! "Darlton said as he was worried about his Commander and both his students

As the shelling of their position continued, Darlton ordered his forces to it the dirt and return fire and under no circumstance charge

They were being fired upon from all direction, he cursed under his breath, the units that where flanking his formation where mostly tank shooting from afar, they were out of the way of the mudslide also the artillery on the surrounding mountains was still hammering them.

This was not what the Sutherlands were built for, they were built for speed and maneuverability, in a battle the ideal way to use them was to charge at the enemy and kill him in hand to hand combat, they were not made for a long distance skirmish.

He wanted to break through quickly, but the rain and the mudslide had turned the dry and rocky base surface of the mountain into a river of mud and water which greatly limited their speed.

If he ordered his men to charge and break through, they wouldn't be able to make it to the enemy quick enough to kill them and would be cut to pieces before they would even get close enough for a good glance at the enemy.

He wanted to run and save Princess Cornelia and Prince Lelouch, he was also greatly worried about Suzaku since he too was a student of his, but he knew that the only way to break through was through winning the skirmish, if he charged he would die and he couldn't help anyone if he died.

"Dam it! To suffer the full force of that mudslide and then be attacked while our formation is broken, at this rate we won't be able to reach Princess Cornelia, Lelouch or Suzaku!" Darlton said to himself, he then noticed that two of the men with him where from Lelouch command and since Lelouch and Suzaku was with them when the mudslide started it meant that there was a good change that they were alive and that gave him some measure of hope.

(Mobile command base)

"Lady Euphemia, please use this G1 mobile base to rescue Princess Cornelia" one of the officers said.

"We can't! The Viceroy gave strict orders not to move, also this field base is a field hospital or the wounded, if we move now, we let them be defenseless " she said as tears started forming in her eyes from being unable to do anything to remedy the situation.

Just then the face of Suzaku came on the monitor, and in his impatience he forgot to put his mask on before activating the transmission.

"Sub-Viceroy this is the Lancelot, my field radar has been damaged and I can't find any allied units, please direct me to where General Lelouch and the Viceroy is" Suzaku said.

"You…. Who do you think you are!" one of the officers said.

"And what could an eleven possibly do!" another one said.

"Please princess, I can save them, just tell me where they are, Please!" Suzaku replied and then said something in a low voice which the people on the other side if the screen could not hear.

But to Euphemia it was clear what he said "_Please Euphie!"_ that made her tears stop and she regained her composure.

"Very well! Captain Kururugi the Viceroy is 100 meters to west of your position Lelouch is 900 to your North east, help them now" she said with her best commanding tone she could muster.

"Yes Sir!" Suzaku replied and immediately took off in Cornelia direction since she was the closest.

(Guilford position)

Guilford had managed to pry himself from the mud, he didn't see any other members of the royal guard around him, he noticed that his right was missing; he must have lost it in the mudslide.

He looked at his radar map and saw that Cornelia was being attacked.

He immediately rode to her position at full speed.

"Princess please hand on! I will be there shortly" Guilford said and hurried as fast as he could to Cornelia's position.

Cornelia by now was at her limit she had lost both her arms trying to hold her ground against the Four Holy Swords and her energy filler was by now almost completely depleted.

"I did not expect her to be able to hold her own against us for so long" Senba said.

"As expected of 'The Witch of Brittannia', but now you lose and you're our prisoner!" Chiba said pointing her sword towards Cornelia.

"Guilford…My knight Guilford" Cornelia said over the radio.

"I Hope you and Darlton will help and protect both Euphie and Lelouch…..I will not give up! I will fight to the bitter end as a Brittanian princess should" she said towards her knight.

At this message Guilford was in a deep state of panic, after all those battle they fought together, after all those years of camaraderie, they're leader who had lead them to victory after victory had just declared that she would die in battle.

"P…..Princess CORNELIA !" Guilford cried out in horror.

"HE! If you want to die so badly, than I will be happy to fulfill your wish!" Chiba said and she raised her sword and closed in on Cornelia to deal the death blow.

Just then Suzaku saw what was going to happen and threw his M.A.S.E.R sword into the air making fly towards Chiba severing her sword arm from the elbow up.

"What the!" Urabe said and he saw the Lancelot charge on the field, he tried to slash it with his sword But Suzaku caught Urabe's by the arm as he tried to slash him and gave him a sweeping kick which made the veteran soldier fall to the ground, but he quickly rolled backwards and got back on his feet and in fighting stance.

Cornelia sensing opportunity fired her two slash harkens at the Asahina and Senba making them both dodge and jump backwards several feet.

Suzaku now placed himself between The Four Holy Swords and Cornelia.

"The Lancelot? But you we're supposed to be with Lelouch?" Cornelia said slightly confused.

"But that means you're safe" Guilford said

"He and I became separated during the mudslide, I have his coordinates, but you where closer so logically I came to help you first your highness!" Suzaku

The Four Holy Swords prepared to do battle with the Lancelot when all of sudden the signal for retreat and they quickly complied.

Cornelia knightmare suddenly collapsed to its knees.

Suzaku asked "Viceroy are you alright?".

"It's just that my energy filler is empty, you go and help my brother, I will be alright" Cornelia responded.

Suzaku complied and raced off towards Lelouch's coordinates.

(Narita town)

Jeremiah and Todoh clashed weapons so hard the impacts sounded like gunshots, Jeremiah's Tonfas all had slice marks on them, and Todoh could feel that his chain blade had dulled its edges from the numerous clashes with Jeremiah.

They were both out of breath by now, since both we're attacking with all of their power, because both wanted to end this quickly so as to return to their commanders, that is why both were exhausted after only a few clash of blades.

Jeremiah had his tonfas in a cross formation and was blocking Todoh's katana, Todoh who was holding his blade with both hands and pushing against Jeremiah with all his might grabbed Jeremiah's arm put a leg on Jeremiah's torso and rolled on his back thereby throwing Jeremiah behind him.

Todoh then got up and charged at him with full speed Jeremiah quickly got on his feet and prepared for the attack.

Todoh unleashed his famed triple blade thrust against him.

Jeremiah blocked the left blow with his left tonfa and did the same with the right tonfa on his right side, when the center blow came he bent backwards rolled his body the right and caught Todoh's thrust arm between his Sutherlands body and his left arm, he then spun to the right and tried to elbow Todoh in the face, but the samurai blocked it with his right arm.

They were now at a standstill.

"Nobody had evaded my triple thrust before!" Todoh said towards Jeremiah.

"You aren't so bad yourself…For a terrorist" Jeremiah said and then bend down, grabbed Todoh foot with his right hand making the samurai's Burai fall on his backside, but it didn't crush his cockpit.

Jeremiah then turned around and tried to strike Todoh Burai head with his Tonfa, but Todoh deflected it with his again with his right arm, he then trusted his whole body to the right which made both knightmares roll for a few moments and that made them separate and made a distance of at least 75 meters between them.

Todoh was now with his back towards the town clock tower.

Jeremiah charged at Todoh again, but Todoh pushed his sword into the concrete and the chain minced it crating a cloud of dust, Jeremiah stopped and braced himself for a counter attack, but when the dust cleared Todoh had vanished.

Jeremiah wanted to find Todoh and finish their duel, but then he remembered that his prince was missing and he looked at the field map once more, and he was not seeing his position.

He panicked for and the dreadful though now hit him, Prince Lelouch could now be dead, he had failed his duty a second time.

But before he could fall into self-hate for failing his task as a knight, a message was heard over the comm.

"This is Chief of Staff Cornelia, all forces maintain fighting order and gradually fall back, to those among us who are black knights my brother Prince Lelouch is safe, all units regroup at the Command center.

Felling relieved his prince was alive he immediately raced towards the command center.

Todoh from his hidden position on the Clock tower watched him leave, he had never before faced such an opponent before, and he doubted he could have won against him if the duel had continued.

"You've made a good choice for a knight Lelouch." He said, after that he called General Katase.

"Todoh! Thank the heavens you're alive!" Katase replied happily upon seeing Todoh's face.

"General Katase this has become a battle of attrition I suggest you give the retreat order, with the terrain ruined by the mudslide and the heavy rain will be able to slip past them, but if we stay we could be annihilated" Todoh told his commander.

"Understood! Meet us at rendezvous point 17" Katase said and Todoh started towards point 17.

(Lelouch position)

10 minutes had passed since he left Kallen and Oughi's position and his energy filler was almost completely used up, so he stopped and decided to wait for friendly forces.

He could not believe that he was still alive.

The reason he had one Kallen might seem like he was an expert knightmare pilot, but in fact Lelouch was an average one at that, the reason he won was because he moved his knightmare against the Guren like he moved chest pieces on a board, and he was a damn good chest player!

It was fortunate that he managed to disable the Guren, if he hadn't he would have ran off as fast as he could, but he was certain she would have probably caught up to him and killed him.

Lelouch was trained along with Suzaku in knightmare combat by Darlton along with Suzaku, and just like they're games from childhood sometimes he would win and sometimes he would lose.

If the area of combat had terrain and the match didn't drag on to long he usually won, but when Suzaku managed to block initial Lelouch moves or the area of combat was a flat field he would lose.

The irony was that he hated knightmare pilot training, but now he was grateful for Darlton putting him through all that hardship.

Although Lelouch could have probably continued to outthink her, and he could have hold his own for a while against the Guren, he could not have won.

One reason was that knightmare combat was like a basic brawl between two opponents and he did not have the stamina for a prolonged fight, he would win any match which didn't last more than a few blows, but if it dragged more than a minute or two he would loose from exhaustion.

He exhaled a breath of exhaustion and took a sip from a bottle of water from within his cockpit.

"I got out of the fryer!" he said to himself as he took a sip of water and he thought that the worst part was over.

Just then a storm of bullet came from his left side, disabling his knightmare and forcing it to collapse; the bullets also damaged the ejection mechanism so the cockpit remained attached to the body.

Lelouch put on his helmet exited the knightmare and saw and enemy Burai, he recognized a big S on its chest, meaning it was with the "Slayer Squadron" with whom he fought against at the peak.

"Back into the frying pan!" he mused angrily to himself.

"HEH HEH! The Iron Prince has been defeated by me, the GREAT Shinichirō Tamaki!" Tamaki said laughing.

Lelouch got out of his cockpit, with his mask and cape on and looked at the knightmare and from what he could hear it had one heck of a stupid pilot.

"You're my prisoner now!" Tamaki said and pointed his knightmare's rifle towards Lelouch.

Lelouch was now more scared than he had ever been in his life.

He was now in a no way out situation, and in that king off situation he did what any desperate man would, he would fight to the last breath, so her pulled out his handgun and pointed it at Tamaki's Burai.

"What the?" Tamaki asked confused.

"A BLACK KNIGHT DIES, BUT HE DOES NOT SURRENDER! IF YOU THINK YOUCAN CLAIM MY HEAD, THEN DO IT!" Lelouch said with a thunderous voice.

"WHAT! You're crazy man! In case you haven't noticed I'M THE ONE HOLDING A BIGER GUN! THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL YOU COULD EVER WIN AGAINT THIS"

"Then come get me" Lelouch replied to Tamaki's above mentioned statement.

"What! ...Well I'd never! ….." Tamaki said in shock to this lunatic who tried to fight a knightmare with a handgun!

Just then a rocket hit Tamaki's Burai forcing the cockpit to eject.

"DAMIIIIIIITTTT!" Tamaki said as the cockpit flew away.

Lelouch looked to where the missile came from and there she saw C.C with the rocket launcher she had left her with.

"You just can't keep out of trouble can you boy?" she said in a mocking tone and for once Lelouch wasn't angry at that remark and he chuckled slightly himself at it.

Just then Tamaki's knightmare which somehow had managed to withstand the impact and remain on its feet collapsed forward, it hit the ground so hard that the machinegun in its hand started firing because of the force of the impact, Lelouch quickly ducked, but C.C wasn't fast enough and she was hit.

"C.C !" he said and he rushed to her side.

**10 minutes later**

Lelouch had taken C.C into a nearby cave to get her out of the storm, he had finished cleaning and dressing the wound, when all of a sudden he heard C.C mutter something, he moved his head closer and he heard her say a name.

He said that name out loud.

"Finally…Finally someone calls me by my name!" C.C said in her sleep.

A few minutes later she awoken and saw that she was naked and covered with Lelouch's cloak.

"I cleaned and dressed the wound," he replied to a now conscious C.C

"You didn't have to, it would have healed by itself" she replied.

"Guess so, you real are something" he then said her name to which C.C was shocked that he knew it.

"Did I say something wrong?" he inquired curious

"Say it again…. Only this time soft and gentle, like a lover would say it" she replied

"As you wish…." He then said her name again.

"How was that?" he asked.

"Horrible, you spook it without strength or passion " she replied.

"Heh ! You really are a had woman to please!" he said with a chuckle.

"Of course I am C.C after all!" she replied with a smile.

Just then the Lancelot appeared in front of the cave and Suzaku jumped out of it.

"Lelouch are you alright?" he said and stopped at the sight of C.C

"Lelouch what's your mistress doing here?" Suzaku asked curious.

"SHE IS NOT MY!..."Lelouch wanted to continue but it was a long day and he was too tired to say have the usual argument about his relationship to C.C, and so he just paused mid sentence and exhaled a breath of exhaustion.

"She is my accomplice and she just decided to tag along, that's all, now putting that aside, why don't you give me a working radio so I can contact Cornelia" he said towards Suzaku.

Suzaku accepted that explanation, for in the weeks that he got to know C.C he found out that if she wanted to do something, she would do it, and Lelouch was powerless to stop her and so without a protest or doubt he handed Lelouch his radio.

"Cornelia can you read me? This is Lelouch?" he said into the radio.

"Lelouch! Thank God you're alright!" she replied.

"It's good to hear you too sister, I'd recommend you to order a tactical withdraw, the situation now is unsalvageable" Lelouch said.

"That's what I was thinking; you and Suzaku regroup at the Command center as soon as possible,"

"Understood! Well be there as quickly as possible" he said and deactivated the radio.

He then turned towards C.C and told her:

"I think it's better if you stay here for a while, I don't think I can explain to Cornelia your presence here" at which she gave a nod of approval.

"Also C.C I don't know why snow is white, but I will find out" he said towards her.

(Meanwhile at Darlton's position )

"General Darlton the enemy is falling back, should we pursue?" one of his officer asked.

"Negative! I just received orders that all units are to withdraw towards the Command Center" and they all complied.

(JLF rendezvous point)

The Slayers where welcomed with cheers from the other JLF members, all of them had somehow managed to survive, but Oughi Looking at the JLF realized from the size of the people assembled that out of the 7.000 men who were with them at the battle only half remained.

"The Brittanians are too bogged down by from the mudslide and the weather, so they can pursue us!" Tamaki said triumphantly.

"Yeah! All we have to do now is wait for Colonel Todoh and General Katase so they can lead us to our new base" Oughi replied with a smile, for despite the great loses they had somehow carried the day.

"By the way where's Kallen?" Tamaki asked.

"She said she was going to take the civilian route back to Tokyo, since she has to be home by tomorrow to avoid suspicion" Oughi responded.

Little did they know Kallen had something else in mind.

Meanwhile

(Cornelia's Mobile Command center meeting room)

Cornelia, Euphemia, and Lelouch where all gathered there to discuss what to do next, they had sent the officers to bed since they all fought hard and needed rest.

"Considering the current circumstances I think it's best if we say the landslide was a natural disaster and not the product of a rebel weapon" Cornelia said

"I agree, also I think we should issue a national morning in all of Japan for those who died this day both Brittannian and Japanese" Lelouch replied.

"That sounds like a good idea" Euphemia said and she liked it, because it was only proper to honor the dead.

"Why should we do something like that?" Cornelia asked curious.

"Besides it being the right thing to do, it's also a good public relations move and will show the world we aren't the blood thirsty savages that the world thinks we are." Lelouch replied.

Cornelia after hearing that response decided to approve of it, she didn't have Lelouch political mind, so she herself would have never thought of such a move.

The three then walked down the corridor, and after Euphemia went to bed Lelouch decide to ask a question which had been on his mind since arriving at the command center.

"Sister you've been in the military more than me so tells me this:

Did we win or did we lose today?" he asked.

Cornelia just stood there in silence for a moment, then turned her head towards Lelouch and said:

"I don't know" and then left for bed as well.

Lelouch also started walking to his quarters and when he got there he saw Suzaku leaning against the door.

"What's the matter?" Lelouch asked after seeing a worried look on Suzaku's face.

"I'd thought….I thought I should be the one to tell you" he said a tone of sadness in his voice.

"Tell me what?" Lelouch asked.

"The evacuation zone was divided into five areas, the first four are ok,…but the fifth one was in the way of the mudslide….." Suzaku told him.

At this information Lelouch eyes went wide in shock, and he had to lean against the wall to prevent himself from falling down, Suzaku helped him to regain his balance.

"Yes…..thank you for informing me Suzaku and now you should get some sleep, tomorrow we have a lot of work to do…."Lelouch replied with a voice which was devoid of vigor.

"Lelouch… you had no way of knowing the mudslide could happen if you hadn't evacuated those people all of them would have died….. You saved a lot of lives….as much as any person could have saved!" Suzaku told his friend hoping that would help.

"Thank you for the information Suzaku and now please go to bed, like I said we have a big day tomorrow" Lelouch replied and entered his quarters, Suzaku stayed there for a few minutes and then went to bed himself, but he was still worried for his friend.

After Suzaku left Kallen appeared in front of Lelouch door.

It was easy for her to sneak in there since most of the men were either collapsed from exhaustion, wounded or the unfortunate ones dead from the battle, there was simply no one left with enough stamina to guard and those who were posted fell asleep from exhaustion.

"Zero! It ends tonight! Tonight I will slay the Niddhog she said to herself and pulled out her switchblade wallet.

**Authors notes:**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue.**


	12. Phase XII: Sympathy for the Devil

Phase XII: Sympathy for the Devil

A week after the Battle of Narita.

**(JLF hideout)**

"You did what?" Tamaki said shocked at Kallen's statement.

"The security in the Brittanian camp was loose from the heavy fighting and I managed to make it to Prince Lelouch's room" Kallen repeated her statement.

"What happened then?" Ohgi asked curious, the other Slayers where there and among them a crowd of listeners had formed among them where the Shiseiken and Todoh himself was listening to the conversation.

Kallen the continued to tell what had happened last night.

She was outside the door and was ready to rush in there and stab him to death before he knew what hit him; she reached for the handle but was stopped by the sound of crying coming from within the room.

Short gasps and exclamations of pain were heard.

"Bwah …..ach ach ach , bwah ach ach ach,

Kallen opened the door quietly and there she saw Zero on his knees crying his heart out, his back was turned against her so he did not see her opened the door and he was crying to loudly to hear the door opening, he was still wearing his cape and Kallen saw to his left his mask was on the floor discarded, but she could not see his face because his cape shielded it.

Kallen then noticed that a table was in front of Zero and on that table a picture of a long raven haired woman was upon it.

I…..I evacuated the civilians from Narita and they were transported to five areas away from the battle, so they wouldn't be caught in the crossfire Bwah …..ach ach ach… but one of the camps was….it….was….OH my God! It was in the path of the mudslide!... Bwah …..ach ach ach…200 feet to the east…..IF IT HAD BEEN JUST 200 FEET TO THE EAST NO ONE WOULD HAVE DIED! Bwah …..ach ach ach (Lelouch shouted and sobbed with all his heart)

"I swore that I wouldn't allow civilians to get caught in the crossfire, THAT WAS THE WHOLE DAMMED REASON I JOINED THE MILITARY! Bwah …..ach ach ach Bwah …..ach ach ach …..I could even do that, I couldn't even do that! Bwah …..ach ach ach Bwah …..ach ach ach…..Mother forgive me, I'm as guilty for their death as that red monster who started the landslide Bwah …..ach ach ach…Oh …mother forgive me!... Bwah …..ach ach ach Bwah …..ach ach ach".

Kallen never in her wildest dreams though she would see such a sight, a Prince of Brittannia crying his eyes out for spilled blood! And on top of that Japanese blood!

Before her wasn't the fearsome warrior who bested her on the field, the man before her wasn't the mighty Iron Prince, it wasn't the Niddhog which brought Europe to its knees, before her was a man, that was what Zero really was behind that mask, a simple man who right now was broken from grief, and all her anger, and hatred for him was replaced with pity and guilt since she now from him realized that she unintentionally killed civilians, and if there was one think the Japanese and Brittannian's agreed upon it was that killing defenseless people was cold blooded murder.

The revelation of what she had donned suddenly hit her like a tidal wave hits an ant on a beach, her knees got weak and tears started forming in her eyes, all of a sudden she didn't want to kill the person she wanted to reach out to him, to hug him, to comfort his soul, and so she reach out with her hand until it was a half inch from Lelouch's shoulder, all of a sudden she realized what she was doing, she then quickly and discreetly left the command center.

As she walked away she began to realize that she shared a common sentiment with him, and just know even if it meant her immediate arrest she wanted to reach out to him.

And the thought of her understanding and making a connection with him is what really scared her the most.

"WHAT! YOU MEAN YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO KILL THAT SON OF A BITCH AND YOU DIDN'T!" Tamaki shouted and a part of those present agreed with that statement.

"He was crying his eyes out, and on top of that he was crying because Japanese people died? How could I kill him while he was in that state?" Kallen retorted and another part of those present agreed with Kallen.

Todoh saw that a line was forming between those present and a brawl could be imminent so he decided to step in before it got out of hand.

"What Kouzuki did was the right thing to do!" Todoh said all of a sudden and all heads turned towards him.

"What do you mean Colonel? So what if he cried for the civilians caught in the mudslide, He didn't cry for the JLF members killed by his troops!" and a collective agreement was heard from the other members present.

"Killing in battle and killing in cold blood are two different thinks!" Todoh shouted towards the crowd and it silenced them.

"On the battlefield if Zero's and Cornelia's troops hadn't fought back we would have killed them all, in a battle one's survival instincts kick in, it is kill or be killed, you do not kill because you want to, you do that because you have no choice, so it is only natural for a soldier to not shed one tear for his fallen foe, the same is true for both brittannian's and Japanese" he said and then paused to let it sink in.

After seeing they understood what he just said he continued:

"Also I agree with Kouzuki, even though that man is our enemy, he was morning the dead, and killing him in such a state when he can't even think properly is nothing short of cold blooded murder, a warrior does not do something like this!"

"That's right! We are freedom fighter not clod blooded killers!" Ohgi said suddenly which surprised Todoh, but he was happy to have and ally amongst those present in matters of opinion.

Some were of the opinion that Kallen should have killed Lelouch regardless of it being morally correct Chiba was among them, but after what Todoh and Ohgi said the majority of those present had the opinion that if Zero was going to die, he would die in battle as a warrior because out off all the brittannian leaders he was the one which even them the JLF spoke in "mild terms" of dislike rather than hate.

Todoh himself had found something that he knew the JLF was missing; it was the lack of understanding for the common man.

He was an officer and from a prominent family, so in a sense he was a Japanese version of nobility, he knew how to keep an army together and how to lead it to victory and avoid a defeat, but he did not know a thing about the common man.

He saw that Ohgi was looked upon as a hero by those around him, a common man which rose from a simple peasant to slay a prince and lead his people to victory, Todoh noticed that people had a deep love to those who actually achieve a from rag to riches transformation.

He then gave the order for everyone to return to their homes and await further orders.

(Meanwhile at Ashford)

Shirley looked inside her pocket and saw that she had the pair of concert tickets that her father had sent them, she was about to go towards the government building, where Lelouch said he worked on the Phoenix Fund and ask him if he wanted to come with her to the concert.

She was preparing to leave, when she was stopped by Millie.

"Hooo! I see you have decided to finally attack" she said towards Shirley.

"Yes! I'm going to invited him to a concert that is tomorrow " Shirley replied.

"I can understand that, but I think the flowers and chocolates are a bit too much?" she said pointing at them.

"These are for Prince Lelouch, you see my father was at Narita and Zero evacuated him along with other civilians, if it weren't for him, my dad would have died in the mudslide, so I am going there to thank him!" Shirley responded.

"Well I am sure that he will appreciate the present, but remember no matter how charming he may be , you must not cheat on Lelouch with Zero!" Millie said with a chuckle which caused Shirley to blush.

**(Lloyd research lab, government facility)**

"As you can see your highness, during our damage inspection of Narita we found some rather interesting things in what was likely a secret research facility" Lloyd said gesturing towards the Siegfried.

"it is currently unfinished, but from the specs I can say that this machine when operational will literally be a flying fortress, the four spikes you see are in fact massive slash harkens, also whe discovered research about how to create a human cyborg, a sort of superhuman" Lloyd continued.

"Can you make it operational?" Lelouch asked curious.

"It will take some time, but I am confident I can do it!" Lloyd replied.

"Also, I'd like to ask you, can a V.A.R.I.S handgun penetrate a knightmare?" Lelouch asked.

"Yes! It can go through it like a hot knife through paper, literally! In fact that was the original concept for the V.A.R.I.S to equip our foot soldiers with such powerful weapons, but you see the smaller an electronic device is, the more expensive it gets, the cost of building just one handgun was to be estimated at almost 100 million pounds!" Lloyd said.

Lelouch then went to Lloyd's computer and tapped a few keys and then gestured for Lloyd to look at the screen.

What he saw made him freeze in astoundment; he had never in his life seen such a bank account in his life.

"This is one of my accounts, I trust this is enough for six handguns, also I would like some swords, a roman stile double edge my size and one of japans design single edged katana to be made like the ones from the Lancelot, also use the rest of the money and make one Lancelot for each one of my subordinates, is it enough?"

"YES! Yes it's more than enough for what you requested, why for such a budget I'd have eaten Cecile's cooking for a year!" Lloyd responded which earned a chuckle from Lelouch since he was aware of how awful a cook she was, thankfully she wasn't here to hear them.

"Also I'd like for you to build me a custom knightmare frame, I want it long range, light and maneuverable, with close combat capabilities, here is the design I had in mind" he handed Lloyd a CD.

Lloyd looked at the design sketches on a computer.

"Well the handguns, swords and Lancelots are not a problem, but it will take some time until I can make this your highness, possibly even months" he replied.

"It doesn't matter, just built them, I can wait!" he said and then moved towards the door.

"If I may sir, but I've been trying to get funding for my projects for months, how did you manage to acquire all this?" Lloyd asked curious.

At his question Lelouch looked over his shoulder put on his devilish smile on his face and said:

"I play chess for money with nobles and I always win!" he said and left the room.

**(Lelouch private office quarters)**

"So that was what happened at Narita" Schneizell said from the computer screen.

"Yes, even though I thought of every possible scenario with what we knew about them, I failed to take into account the unknown, I will not make the same mistake twice!" Lelouch replied.

"Don't blame yourself so much, it happens to the best of us, I also have been having a hard time with the E.U. and Chinese as well" Schneizell replied.

"What do you mean?"

"It's not that I its you're fault of anything, but after Narita the E.U though it was a sign that the Empire is weak and I am afraid that the ceasefire maid end soon enough, I expect that soon we will be at war with them once more, especially now since they've recovered from what happened in Siberia and also in seems the Chinese have evacuated Pengai island, I suspect that they intend to give it to the JLF remains which not doubt are planning to leave the country" Schneizell replied.

"So we can expect an attack from the E.U from the north and a Chinese invasion from the South which will be legitimized by the presence of Japanese high profile figures" Lelouch said with a tone of exasperation in his voice.

"That may be so…..but I am confident you are up to the task"

"When will Cornelia's 8th army arrive here?"Lelouch asked.

"I am afraid that the Eastern Federation is receiving massive E.U sponsorship again, so it seems the 8th army will have to remain in Asia Minor to fight it off"

At hearing this, Lelouch took out a cigar, lighted it, took a few puffs and said:

"So unofficially we are now at war with the most efficient army and officers in the world and the largest army as well, we are outgunned ,outmanned and if you look at where Japan is on the map, I am outmaneuvered" he said and then took out another puff of the cigar.

"Somehow you don't seem to concerned by this." Schneizell told Lelouch.

At this Lelouch gave Schneizell a broad smile and said:

"No…..no I am not….because you see the problem when an army faces an opponent of inferior power he generally thinks he won the battle without even fighting it first, the same is true for the situation present, once the field army's are deployed, the politicians from the E.U and China will scream at their generals ATTACK ,ATTACK, and under pressure from that they will attack, they will be forced to rush things, and when that happens I will be there to hit hard where it will hurt them the most! Besides, when your team is the underdog things are much more interesting then" Lelouch said with a broad grin on his face.

"That's what I like to hear! Good luck to you Lelouch, I will talk to you later" Schneizell said and he finished the transmission.

Just then Lelouch's secretary buzzed him.

"My lord a lady Shirley Fenette requests an audience with Zero"

_Shirley wants to meat Zero? He this should be interesting!_ Lelouch said to himself "Let her in" he responded and then put his mask on, a minute latter Shirley entered the office with flowers and a box of candy in her hands, she gave a bow and said: "I thank you for thanking time from your busy schedule to see me your highness".

"No problem at all Miss Fenette, please come in and sit" he gestured towards the chair on the other end of his desk.

Shirley walked to the desk.

"These are for you" he gave him the flowers and candy.

Lelouch looked at them for a moment, then turned his head towards her and with a mischievous tone in his voice said: "I'm flattered you've taken an interest in me, but usually it's the boy who asks the girl out on a date"

At this Shirley blushed slightly and said "No! That's not it you're highness! Those are merely thank you presents!"

"Thank you presents? For what ?" Lelouch asked curiously.

"Well you see your highness my father was at Narita and if you hadn't evacuated him with the other civilians I…I don't know what would have happened" Shirley said both grateful and a scared tone in her voice.

At this Lelouch was taken aback, up until know he considered the civilians deaths in Narita his greatest failure he never until now thought that some good came out of it.

He staggered for a moment and then replied:

"I am grateful for your thanks miss Fenette…..I'd imagine you'd now want to meet with mister Lamperouge " he replied

Shirley blushed slightly at this and said: "Eh? Lulu is here?"

"Yes he is! As of matter of fact I'll go get him" Lelouch said and then went to fetch himself from the other room.

He took oh his mask, cape, and jacket and ascot.

"I should get an Oscar or at least a Bafta award for the rolls I play in one day" he said, he then mentally changed into his Lamperouge persona and after waiting a few minutes went back into the office.

"Hello Shirley! Zero said you wanted to where here, so thought I'd come to say hello" Lelouch said with his usual lady killer smile, even though he himself was not aware that he had such a smile.

"Yes! You….you see Lulu" she stuttered a little and blushed and then pulled out the two concert tickets "Father is away a lot from home, so he sends me things like this to make me feel better, would you like to go with me to the concert?"

Lelouch thought about it for a moment, and then remembering that a night of classical music would do him well.

"Sure, I love the opera" he responded.

Shirley was ecstatic at this, she gave him her ticket and then she quickly left the room, Lelouch looked at the ticket "Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods)? She is strangely very happy to see a tragic play?" Lelouch said to himself puzzled.

After a moments of pondering Lelouch went the closet which was in his office, he opened it and there, were letters and all of them were letters of thanks, if one think Lelouch found odd of the Japanese is that they where a very formal people, the letters where all letters of thank you from the dozens of thousand of Narita citizens who were saved by Lelouch's evacuation order.

"I really can't avoid doing it can I?" he said to himself, he then looked at Shirley flowers and as that they where red roses, so he took two of them from the bouquet, put them in a box, and then left for Narita, there was a small shrine erected there for the dead at after the conversation with Shirley as Zero and looking once more at the letter's of thank you as Lelouch neither one of his 'personas' could now have an excuse to return to Narita and pay their final respects for the tragedy.

(**Knightmare pilots training gym)**

Since 6 o clock this morning Jeremiah had been training himself, but to say he was training intensely was an understatement, the sheer amount and high difficulty of the training he had been doing was more like torturing oneself rather than training at this point , and he had been doing this daily since he got back from Narita. Currently he was on his back on the weight lifting table, with Kewell at his head ready to put the weight back into place if it proved to be too much for his friend. "Hey Jeremiah take a break already! You've been killing yourself like this since Narita if you don't 'stop you're likely to die from exhaustion" Kewell said to his friend.

Jeremiah then placed the weight back in its support and said "Five minute brake *panting* panting*then I start over again".

"Why are you killing yourself like this, in a month and a half the 42nd will be ready for action and how are we going to fight if you kill yourself like this?" Kewell asked his friend

"Because * panting* back at Narita I got into a duel with Todoh and I wasn't sure if I could have survived facing him, let alone beating him*panting* panting*, when we go into battle again, we will face him again, and I have to be prepared for when that happens" Jeremiah replied and the resumed his weight lifting.

"_If the prince would have been next to me and I would have lost against Todoh…._ _, I am Prince Lelouch's knight! I will protect him!, that's why__I must get stronger, I will fulfill my vow to protect him and avenge my failure to protect Lady Marianne…even if it costs me my life!" _Jeremiah said to himself as he continued his training.

**(Narita mountain range, medical camp)**

Diethard Reid had just arrived at Narita, and on his left shoulder was a travel bag hanging from it, or at least that what it looked out from the outside, in the inside there was a hidden camera which was secretly filming everything he saw. Diethard came here to do a coverage about the battle, the landslide and how the government was reacting to it, the reason he was using a hidden camera was because he was used to the bureaucrats only showing them what they wanted to be seen, so he decided to go incognito and fill it all raw, authentic, without sugarcoating. He continued to walk for a few more steps when he something that shocked him completely, he saw Princess Euphemia tending to the wounded of the landslide, she was wiping one's forehead with water a moment latter she was changing another one's bandages, then she was helping another one eat, and what shocked Diethard even more was the fact that the above mentioned patients were of all elevens, and her crisp clean dress was now dirty, no doubt from how much an effort she was putting in helping the wounded.

"_The hell with the battle, and screw the landslide! This is the real story 'Princess Euphemia, the white angel of Narita"_ he said to himself and focused his hidden camera on Euphemia entirely.

On the other side of the mountain Suzaku was with Cecile and was helping with moving the ruble. He stopped for a minute and got out to have a drink, which was offered by Cecile.

"Look at all this! Just what the JLF hope to accomplish with all this?" Suzaku asked.

"Well the JLF are fighting for your people's freedom" Cecile answered concerned at how angry Suzaku's voice was.

"This is what it means to fight for freedom?" Suzaku retorted angrily and crushed the now empty water bottle with even more anger in his fists than his words.

Cecile wanted to answer, but before she could Suzaku went inside the tent to change his outfit.

"It's getting late and I am going to pay my respects at the shrine on the other side of the mountain before night falls" Suzaku said and left, the reason Suzaku changed from his piloting sit was that he felt in would be disrespectful for the dead is he showed up in military uniform.

**(The Narita Shrine)**

Kallen was a few feet away from the shrine and just then Lelouch appeared to her right and Suzaku to her left. "What are you two doing here?" she asked.

"I came to pay my respects for the dead." Lelouch answered.

"Some goes for me." Suzaku replied and Kallen gave the same answer as well.

Lelouch placed his two roses on the shrine and sad a Christian prayer for the dead, Kallen put flowers as well and Suzaku lighted some incense, among their offerings were, candles, pictures and prayer leaflets left by other people for those who perished during the landslide.

"This I what happens when you try to achieve results with the wrong means, death and sadness, the JLF are nothing but cold blooded killers!" Suzaku angrily blared out.

Kallen despite being in grief herself could not simply let herself stand silent as Suzaku insulted the JLF.

"How can you say that about your own people freedom fighters!" she angrily shouted at Suzaku.

"Freedom is worthless, if the only ones left are to sick stricken from the death of their loved ones to enjoy it!"

"So what are you saying that what they're doing has no value, that they can't change thing, that they should just now their heads and submit?" Kallen shouted even angrier.

"All I am saying is they're doing it the wrong way, let me ask you this, how many gallons of blood has to be spilled before they see that they're using the wrong methods"

"ENOUGH!" Lelouch suddenly shouted which silenced both Kallen and Suzaku. "Both Todoh and Zero have no choice now….both of them have walked to far down the path of power to just stop…..both are fighting to change the world…both are using different means to the same end, but regardless of whatever means you use, the right of the wrongs ones people will die, it's just not a matter of if it's a matter of how many….but both must continue not in spite of the blood spilled, but because of it…..Zero and Todoh must continue to fight, continue to shed more blood, because if they don't then all of the blood spilled up until now will be in vane…..The old world must first be destroyed before the new one can to be built" Lelouch said to them and it calmed both of them down.

A few minutes later they all left to go about their business**.**

**(Lelouch's apartment Ashford Academy)**

"You knew from the start that people would die" C.C said to him.

"I know that!" Lelouch replied with his back towards her.

"All of those that you killed they all had lovers friends and family" C.C continued.

"I know that!" Lelouch said and he pushed C.C on the bed with himself on top.

"I know that, and now I know what the cost will be to change the world, if need be I will spill as much blood as it takes, bring more sorrow, more destruction so that a new world can arise!" he paused for a moment.

"From what you're saying it sounds like you intend to become a devil." C.C replied.

"If a devil is what I have to become, then a devil I will be! I will do it without geass" Lelouch replied in a cold, emotionless voice . Just then Nunnally came into the room.

"Big Brother if it's possible I'd like to go to Narita to help sister Euphemia with the wounded and the…." Nunnally paused and from the sounds she heard she could tell that her brother was on the bed and he was not alone on it.

"Is someone here with you?" Nunnally asked innocently.

"Hello Nunnally, I was hoping you'd teach me some more origami, but unfortunately your brother is quite insatiable" C.C said in a tone similar to a worker who had just been told by her boss she has to do overtime after a long day.

"I….Insatiable?...I am sorry to interrupt" Nunnally said and exited the room.

Lelouch was now mortified at how things had transgressed.

"WHY ON EARTH DID YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT? NOW SHE THINKS I'M SOME KING OF SEX ADDICT!" Lelouch shouted at C.C angrily.

"It's your own fault boy, what other possible explanation could there before our current position?" C.C replied with a devilish smile.

And only then Lelouch realized that the way he was on top of C.C and since she was on the bed, they were in the missionary position, and upon this realization he just covered his face with his palm in frustration and rolled over of C.C and to a position next to her.

"Why do I keep finding myself in these kinds of situations? Don't I deserve a normal day without this? Don't I deserve a little rest, a little bit of sympathy?" he asked with a frustrated and exhausted voice. C.C simply hugged her Cheese-kun doll and said:

"There is no Sympathy for the Devil."

And Lelouch after hearing those words instantly fell asleep, it had been a long day.

**Authors note: Read and review let me know if I should continue.**


	13. Phase XIII: The line is forming

Phase XIII: The line is forming.

**(Tokyo bay docks)**

"You mean to say that after all of the time it took to mobilize a force this size, all we have to show for it is a dead old man!" Cornelia said towards Guilford.

"Yes sir, we have identified the body as that of General Katase of the JLF, it appears he had committed seppuku aboard the tanker hours before we even arrived here" Guilford replied.

Cornelia herself was now feeling a mixture of appeasement and dislike, she had tracked general Katase to Tokyo bay, and she hoped that with this operation she could have annihilated what was left of the JLF, but all they had found on that tanker was a dead Katase and he impaled himself with Lelouch's dagger, the one he purposely lost to Todoh.

"Well at least Lelouch will be happy to see this." She said looking at the blood soaked dagger, and decided to have it cleaned.

**(Six families of Kyoto meeting room)**

"The outcome is the worst possible one for us, the JLF, the hope of Japan has been defeated and I heard a report that Katase had killed himself" Taizo Kirihara said towards the other members.

"Also because of the actions of Princess Euphemia people are starting to sway towards the Brittannian government" Tatsunori Osakabe said.

"All hope is not lost Todoh is still alive" Hidenobu Kubouin said.

"There is more than hope" Kaguya said

At this the other members all turned their heads towards her.

"The Slayers ? Do you think they have the power to defeat both Cornelia and Lelouch?" Kirihara Taizo asked.

"'They have shown that they can at least hold their own against them we must give those who are capable our fullest support, also even if they can't do more than that Lelouch is a man who understands that compromise is the key to prosperity" Kaguya retorted

"Are you saying that if all goes bad we should make a deal with him? I have to admit the thought had crossed my mind, but in order to do that we would have to show him we are worthy off making a deal with, and the only way to do that is through power, how do we know is these "Slayers" are up to the task?" Tousai Munakata asked.

"I will meet with them and determine if they are worthy of our sponsorship" Taizo Kirihara announced.

**(Tokyo concession opera house)**

Lelouch was with Shirley at the opera and he had to admit that he was actually enjoying himself, the opera to Lelouch was in essence everything that was good about humanity, to perform and opera you needed the best painters and sculptures, the best mathematicians and engineers for the stage props and mechanism to work, the finest musicians and composers so the music can be powerful and penetrate the spectators, the finest actors and singers to create the illusion that what they are witnessing had actually transgressed.

The play _**Götterdämmerung**_ was now at its final scene, and the ending was to the majority just another ending of an opera, but to Lelouch the ending of that particular opera meant more than anyone could ever know.

In the final act of the play the pantheon of the Norse gods disappears in a fire signifying the end of the gods and their mighty empire, and over the course of the story Wodan the king of the gods through his bad judgment, errors and greed helps in it and at the end of the play he sets fire to the pantheon himself to signal the end of the gods, the end is symbolic of the end of the Viking kingdom, one who raided, looted, and enslaved country's all over Europe.

To Lelouch the sight of an evil, greedy and corrupt empire being consumed by flames was so beautiful that he began to shed tears, which were not unnoticed by Shirley, and when the final curtain came down, no one clapped more intense, through roses with more vigor or enjoyed it more than Lelouch.

"I never knew you liked the opera so much" Shirley said towards Lelouch as they walked together

"it'd just that last scene always gets to me" Lelouch replied, for the first time in moths he was able to relax, how he loved being able to go anywhere do anything without the paparazzi putting it on the front page, he knew that sooner or later he would have to go public and when that would happen, this would be the first thing he would miss.

"Well where at this point, so I guess it's time to go the last hundred yards" Lelouch said towards Shirley.

At this Shirley cheeks turned a shade of red as bright as a tomato "_Go the last hundred yards? Does he mean that we should have sex? I love him and all that, but….but it's too early"_ she said to herself.

"Wait! Lulu it's too early for us to go that far, we just can't walk that path now!" Shirley said in a panicked voice.

"What are you talking about? Its eleven thirty and I have to walk the hundred yards that are between here and my room" he said and pointed towards Ashford Academy.

"Oh! I thought you meant…..ah never mind" she said greatly embarrassed at herself, and she also asked herself the question "Am I a perverted woman" for thinking that just now.

"We'll see you tomorrow" Lelouch said and turned her back towards her back towards her and started walking towards Ashford.

Just then he felt Shirley arm grab his right shoulder "What is it?" he said and turned around, only for Shirley to catch him in a kiss.

They staid like that for a moment until Shirley broke it.

"Shirley I….I….we can't do this!" Lelouch said still shocked from what happened.

"Why? Don't you like me?" Shirley asked with panic and confusion in her voice.

"It's not that, it's just that currently I can't go out with you" he couldn't tell her he was actually Zero, how could he do that, how could he bring her into that world of liars, backstabbers and murderer known as the nobility, that's why he never dated a girl before.

"You and Kallen are dating aren't you, that's why isn't it?" Shirley asked with tears forming in her eyes.

"No, it's not that, it's just that I can't date anyone right now" Lelouch responded now panicked that she was beginning to cry.

"Well why? Just tell me why and all is forgiven." Shirley said desperate.

Lelouch hesitated and just remain silent.

"You always like this; you smile and are polite to everyone, that's why so many girls are smitten with you that's why I am smitten with you!

But do you take your pick of one of the girls? NO, YOU DON'T! And because of that girls think you are available, they do all kinds of things to get your attention, but you don't respond, you just keep smiling and that smile makes them fall in love with you even more, IF WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER HAD YOU BEEN DATING KALLEN, THEN I WOULD HAVE KNOWNED THAT I LOST YOU TO ANOTHER WOMAN, BUT NO YOU JUST CONTINUE LIKE YOU'VE ALWAYS DONE BEING FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE, BUT NOT LOVING ONE OF THEM, YOU'RE THE CRUELEST MAN OF ALL!" she then slapped him hard and then ran away.

Lelouch kept his head still for a moment before turning it and then started walking towards his apartment.

"_You should hate me Shirley, you should despise me and stay away from me as much as you can, for I am going down the road of death and destruction and you are to pure a soul to walk that path" _he said in his mind as he entered the clubhouse building.

He opened the door, paused for a moment, turned his head to the spot Shirley had slapped him, looked at it for a moment, then turned his head back forward, shook it with his eyes closed and said:

"I started my journey alone, I w ill travel it alone" and then walked into the clubhouse.

Up above from the second story window C.C had watched the whole thing.

"What are you saying? Why should I be jealous?"

…

"This really is an anoying hobby you have "

**(Tokyo government airport)**

The Eastern Federation in acting up again, our forces are being press hard and I suspect that they are pushing for the Suez Canal, and possibly El Alamien, I am going with Guilford back to the 8th army, Darlton will stay here in case you need help, I am leaving you here in charge of affairs" Cornelia said to Euphemia.

"Will you be gone for long sister?" Euphie asked.

"I'll come back here as fast as I can, Lelouch is here to help you, and Nunnally will keep you company, this Area now that it is almost free of terrorists we can prepare to upgrade it so satellite state, also here" Cornelia replied and handed her a picture book.

"Things are starting to get dangerous; I believe it's time you chose your knight all of them are excellent pilots and come from good families "she then put her hand on Euphie's cheek smiled wholeheartedly and said "After this Area is clean I'll give it to you and you won't have a thing to worry about" and then she boarded the plane.

Euphemia watched her leave and then though to herself.

"_Sister was always like that protecting me, sheltering me from the world, I've been working on that new proposition for weeks now, and I think I should try resenting it, Lelouch would support it and Nunnally as well, Cornelia wouldn't like it but she would support me, but would brother Schneizell approve it?_

_And how can I show the world what I intend to do, if I can't even show how I fell to the boy I like?"_ Euphie pondered in her mind.

**(Transport vehicle towards the meeting pint with the representative of the house of Kyoto)**

Oughi, Kallen and the other could not believe what had just happened, being summoned to meet with Kyoto was what every resistance member dreamed about, and I was actually happening, across from Oughi sat Colonel Todoh, he had met with Kyoto before so he occupied his mind with other matters, before the news of general Katase reached them Todoh already knew of his fate, for Katase had left him a letter, and now he was replaying it in his head.

_Todoh it has come to my realization that I am no longer fit to lead our struggle, when I was supreme commander of the army's of Japan I chose to let them land so we could cut them off from their supply's but that failed, and now years later I lead the JLF to disaster, if it hadn't been for the rain or the mudslide we would have all been killed, but you! You Todoh you're a better general, better warrior and more level headed than I was, am and ever will be, I now realize that it should be you leading our struggle, but that with never happen as long as I am alive._

_So with this final act I hereby end my useless existence, I have lead the Brittannian's _ _on a wild goose chase and have thrown them of your tracks, and by the time they find me I will be already dead._

_I have absolute confidence that you are the right choice as my successor, and this old man gladly steps into nothingness to allow you, Japan's Kiseki no Todoh the limelight_

_Your commander and friend _

_Katase_

Todoh mind returned to the present and they arrived at the warehouse were the meeting would take place.

The Slayers exited the vehicle and went o a nearby window.

"Hey! This is mount Fuji!" Kallen said amazed.

"This is where the sakuradite mines are!" Oughi said

"The cursed treasure that brought about the war! Kyoto's really something if they have influences all the way here" Tamaki said.

"_It's repulsive... Mt. Fuji, a sacred mountain once known for its clear water and quiet beauty, now it is bent to the empires will, a place of hideous violation, a reflection of what Japan has become, it pains me so._" Taizo Kirihara said from behind his concealment.

"You are the Slayers am I correct? And your leaders name is Ohgi" Taizo asked.

"Yes, it is on honor for us to have been summoned by the house of Kyoto" Ohgi said with a light bow of the head.

"Colonel Todoh you have know them for more than I, can they be trusted?" Taizo asked.

"Yes sir, they are honorable warriors" Todoh said and gave Kallen a glance.

"Very well then" he said and then moved paste his concealment.

"You're surprised aren't you, to think that Benedict Kirihara was then man who leads the Six Houses of Kyoto must come as a shock to you, but let us get down to business, you are Ohgi are you not? Is it true that you're group killed Clovis?" Taizo asked.

Oughi pondered what to say for a moment and then hesitantly responded with:

"No lord Kirihara, we did not, we were about to engage him in combat, but Zero then made his performance which landed him the capsule without a fight….."he clenched his fists in anger and said:

"Back then he defeated us without firing a single shot, and at Narita blocked our troops movement before we left our concealment.."

"Lelouch is as cunning as a fox, as slippery as a snake, as silent as a mouse and as deadly as a tiger, I myself met him once when he was a little boy before the invasion and even then I could tell he would grow to become a great man…..Ohgi I ask off you with Katase dead and the JLH heavily fragmented will you take up leadership and unite the resistance movements of our country?" Taizo asked

"M….Me! But I'm no leader and Colonel Todoh here should be the one to do that, I'm just a school teacher who picked up a rifle, why should I lead our people?" Ohgi asked concern since he himself knew that it was all true.

"It is because you are a school teacher who picked up a rifle that you are the man for the job, already rumors are spreading of Ohgi and his Slayers, and how they killed Clovis and faced Lelouch and Cornelia and lived to tell the tale, you are the first man in seven years to manage such feats and the other resistance groups have already been soliciting to join the Slayers."Kirihara answered.

"But..But Colonel Todoh should.."

"Todoh is the one who suggested this course of action, he will of course be second in command and be head of military operations, but a resistance needs more than a general, it needs a leader, a hero, and you are currently a hero because of the rumors surrounding you" Taizo the paused walked up to Ohgi and said.

"In case you haven't noticed the people need heroes in these dark times, with Prince Lelouch's Phoenix Fund and Princes Euphemia's actions of mercy at Narita and Cornelia's rapid attacks on both the Blood of the Samurai and the Japan Liberation Front has sent the following message to our people:

We can and we will crush anyone who opposes us, but those who accept us as masters can live good and prosperous lives and not all of us are bloodthirsty savages, we can be king, courteous and considerate to those who accept are rule" Taizo said and paused for a moment to let it sink in.

"Already the number of pro brittannian supporters are growing, people are like sheep and will follow a Sheppard, the only shepherds here are brittannian, we must give them a Japanese one, for if not there will come a day when all of Japan will accept that Brittannia is here to stay and the generations to come will support, fight and die for the Empire" Kirihara added.

After hearing this there was nothing that Ohgi could say or do that would have convinced him that he was not the right man for the job.

From his own experience from leading Naoto's group after he died, he realized that a leader's biggest burden was basically deciding who lives and who dies, be it victory or defeat, he realized that as a simple soldier all you had to worry about was yourself and if you made a mistake you'd pay the price, but as a leader if you'd made a mistake the men under you would pay the price, he was actually quite relieved when they joined the JLF they were under Todoh's leadership and he didn't have to caryy the burdon any more

And now here was the leader of the underground movements asking him to lead possibly thousands of men, to decide who lives and who dies and he couldn't back down.

"Very well, I may not be qualified, but I accept and I vow to do my best" Ohgi said and gave a bow of the body to Kirihara.

"Todoh will be next to you to advise and guide you, we will support you with men material and intelligence, and may the heavens be with us all" Taizo said and the meeting was adjourned.

The group boarded the vehicle which brought them here to take them back to Tokyo.

"_Naoto, if you we're in my position what would you do?"_ Ohgi asked himself mentally.

Just then a built in screen into the limousine became active and the face of Kaguya Sumeragi appeared on it.

"Good evening I am Kaguya Sumeragi, head of the Sumeragi conglomerate, now that you have been accepted, I would like to know your next step"

"Commander what is our next course of action?" Todoh asked curious.

To say Ohgi felt uncomfortable with his new found power was an understatement, the person which up until a few moments ago was his superior addressing him as a subordinate.

"Well…."He paused mid sentence to allow himself time to think, and then her remembered the hotel incident "A great deal of soldiers were caught during the Lake Kawaguchi incident, maybe we should rescue them?" he said, it sounded more like a question then an order.

"I agree! With what we sustained during Narita we will require all the manpower we can get "Todoh said.

"Also I would like to disband the JLF and expand the Slayers as a full fledge organization." Kaguya said over the screen.

"Why would you do that? I mean the Slayers are just a squad of the JLF" Tamaki asked and the rest we're curious as well.

"Unfortunately after Kawaguchi both the japanese people and the brittannians now see the JLF as a terrorist organization, public support is the greatest weapon we can have and the Slayers have a reputation as valiant fighters, we must use that to our advantage" Kaguya responded.

The others understood and agreed and then Kaguya closed the screen, ending the conversation.

"After seeing them in person I wonder how long they can hold out against you Lelouch" Kaguya said as her mind wandered back to that fateful summer when it all began.

She remembered how Suzaku's father once tried to make an arranged marriage for Nunnally and how Lelouch avoided it, he challenged Genbu Kururugi to a game of chest and if he lost he would also offer himself for an arranged marriage, but he defeated Genbu in under a minute, she smiled at the pleasant memories of childhood, but now frowned as the realization of its significance.

"Even back then you were formidable and now that you are grown up and have an army I wonder, what great victories will you accomplish now, and who will be the one to suffer defeat at your hand" all that Kaguya could do at the moment was hope that it would not be Japan the one to suffer that fate.

**(Plains of Kyushu)**

"Battery fire!" Jeremiah ordered and the battery replied.

Lelouch looked on from his vantage point, in all his corps was composed of five divisions of 10.000 men each, they had with them 300 knightmares 500 tanks,600 cannons 200 helicopters and 150 fighter jets as support.

Lelouch knew that even though it was common sense to have the heavy equipment controlled by brittannian soldiers, but he also knew that if he was going to show the empire that the number policy was wrong he had to give them some of the heavy armor.

And so 30 knightmares, 50 tanks, 60 cannons 20 helicopters and 15 fighter jets where all manned by numbers, Suzaku was ecstatic when Lelouch told him, for it was unheard of for a honorary brittannian to even set foot in a tank or knightmare, let alone have a battalion of thirty of them, led by lieutenant Tadamichi Kuribayashi they where worthy of being called dragons, because Lelouch had never seen such marksmanship in his life.

He went up to Jeremiah and asked:

"What do you think of them?"

"I hate to say it, but I've never seen such good marksmen in my life, the training you put these boys through really paid off" he replied.

"Glad you think so, also since the corps is almost ready here's what our command structure will be like, you will command the right wing formed out of the brittannian division and one of the Japanese one's, Viletta will command the Mexicans which will form the center and Kewell will command the left wing formed out of the Canadians and other Japanese division, do you object?" Lelouch said to Jeremiah.

"No! Why should I? Thank you my lord!" since the majority of the heavy equipment was used by the brittannian division it basically meant Jeremiah had the strongest units under his command, which pleased him greatly.

"Whish Kururugi was here, he'd had liked to see these blokes in action!" Jeremiah said a bit disappointed.

"Well he insisted he guard the prisoner transfer himself, you know how he is stubborn to the bone" Lelouch replied towards his second in command.

**(Clovis memorial museum)**

"As you can see we have a great number of beautiful paintings that you your highness can choose from as the winner at tonight's exposition" the curator of the museum said towards Euphemia and Darlton.

Euphie surveyed the wall which was covered with paintings until she reached a small rustic painting which she found beautiful.

"I like this one very much" she said towards the curator.

"Ah! We investigated and discovered that the author has a quarter eleven blood in him" he responded.

"Then why didn't you even placed it in the gallery?"She asked disappointed.

"It is necessary to put up a façade in such matter, anyway please look at this painting, it is one done by the son of Duke Nicolai" it was a painting of her father in one of his speeches raising his fist towards the sky.

Euphie looked at it disappointed that even here she was being told what to do, she could even be allowed to pick a simple painting by herself.

**(Prisoner transport train somewhere in the Kanto countryside)**

Suzaku by now had kept a constant watch on the surrounding landscape.

"Suzaku-kun you should take a break" Cecile said to him genuinely concerned.

"She's right Suzaku, if you're eyes heart to much from surveying the passing landscape, you won't be able to see well in battle if the rebels do appear" Lloyd added and that convinced Suzaku to lay down the binoculars and sit down and eat dinner with them.

He then picked up one of Cecile's sandwiches from the table, Lloyd upon seeing this immediately moved to stop him from eating them, but it was too late, Suzaku already took a bit, and another and another, until two of Cecile's sandwiches were consumed fast.

Lloyd upon seeing this was mortified, since he was sure that Superman himself wouldn't have had the strength to do such a feet, he then realized something.

"_His brain is too preoccupied with concern over the prisoner transport to pick up the pain his tongue and stomach is going through!"_Lloyd said in his head.

**(Meanwhile a few miles away, Slayers ambush location)**

"Is it really okay letting the Slayers take control of the JLF?" Asahina said towards the other Shiseiken as they watched the knightmares being made ready for combat.

"It was Colonel Todoh idea, are you saying that you don't trust his judgment?" Chiba asked her squad mate.

"It's not that! But what we are doing is basically letting civilians lead a military operation, the last time we let that happen was seven years ago, and we all know what happened then!" Asahina replied

"That's enough you two, we can discuss such trivial matters after we rescue area comrades!" Senba silenced them.

"I'm all for rescuing them, but do we really have to save Kusakabe as well?" Asahina asked with a serious tone.

"I agree with him, I mean as far as right wings go Kusakabe is as far as they get, and it's because of him that the JLF will be remembered as a terrorist organization!" Urabe said in support of Asahina.

"Whether we like him or not is of no importance, he is a comrade and we help one another" Todoh said appearing suddenly from behind the four.

"Yes, but to let that trouble maker just waltz back…" Senba said but was cut off by Todoh.

"I said that we would save him, after that we have no responsibility to him what so ever "Todoh replied and walked off to mount his Gekka.

"Hurry up and put it together already, the train will be here any minute!" Tamaki said towards Yoshida who was assembling the Guren.

"Be careful with that! I was ten times more delicate when putting it together" Laksharta said to those present.

"And who are you anyway?" Tamaki asked.

"I'm its mother!" she said while pointing her pipe angrily towards Yoshida who was assembling the Guren.

"It's an honor to meet you Miss Laksharta, I read all of your papers regarding the use of cybernetics in medicine" Ohgi said and shook her hand.

"So you're the infamous Ohgi? Nice to meet and about that, I don't like talking about the past" she said and opened a pair of suitcases which her assistance had placed on the ground with her pipe.

"Here you go, presents form Kyoto" she said.

"Excuse me..will this really improve our combat proficiency?" Kallen said after putting on one of the suits.

"Of course not"

"He?"

"The survival rate that's what it will improve!"Laksharta replied.

(**Meanwhile at the transport train)**

Suzaku had to admit Lelouch had done a good job with this convoy, there where knightmares running parallel at each side of the trained, each of the checking station along the way was fortified and a heavily armed convoy was running at about the same pace with the train on the highway which was parallel to the train tracks, and even they if they could have managed to stop it the route they were using was flanked by open country, where they couldn't hide, but even after all this there was still a rotten feeling in his gut that said disaster was imminent.

As the train continued on its way it was now moving parallel with the Tone River, when all of a suddenly the train halted to a stop.

"What's happened?" Suzaku said concerned over the intercom.

"Some trees have fallen on the tracks, nothing serious we should be able to move them in half an hour or so sir" the driver replied.

Suzaku was relied when he heard this and sat back down in his chair, he turned on the monitor so he could watch with the help of the external surveillance cameras how the knightmare pilots remove the threes.

He was calm, but only for a second when something hit him:

"_We are moving through open fields! There isn't a forest here for miles!"_ he quickly jumped back up from his seat.

"Miss Cecile and Lord Lloyd please prepare the Lancelot for battle!" he said towards them.

He then pushed the intercom and said:

"All units get away from those trees now!" but it was too late, a bomb which was hidden under the logs destroyed the knightmares most of the knightmare escort and the locomotive engine and the knightmares of the Slayers rushed from their crouched hidden positions in the field to eliminate the remaining knightmares, and what looked like trucks and hummers to evacuate the prisoners.

**(Lelouch mobile command center Kyushu)**

The prison train is being attacked?" Lelouch asked the subordinate which brought him the news.

"Yes sir, we estimate about six to ten enemy frames of unknown design, but all are sporting the S symbol of the slayer squadron and we have spotted also we are getting reports that a red knightmare frame has been spotted among them"

" Todoh! He is the only one with enough brains to pull this off and is seems Lady Devil has decided to grace us with another public appearance, I want to view it, put the battle on the monitor!" He said and his subordinate did just that.

(**The prison train)**

Fire enveloped the now destroyed train engine and smoke clouded the sky, the remaining knightmares from the escort all jumped to where the enemy frames where coming sixteen of them in all, four of them where destroyed from afar by the Gekka's machine guns, the others formed a defensive perimeter around the train, the Gekka's charged them and cut them two down with their swords, they then passed the remaining frames, spin around and destroyed them from a distance with their machine guns.

"Hang on guys; we are coming to save you all." Chiba said to herself.

Now only two knightmares remained from the original train escort, Asahina saw them and charged them , he cut the one on the left, then made a 180 turn and cut down the second one on the right, with this the escort was completely destroyed.

"This Gekka sure is amazing. A big difference from the Burai!" Asahina said over the radio.

"Yeah, with this nothing can stop us now" Urabe said agreeing with Asahina.

"The synchronization with the attached weapons is still not perfect" Laksharta said observing the battle and the data gathered by the computer .

"Well that isn't a problem with the line…." One of her assistance said towards Laksharta.

"There's a 0.07 deviation with the cognizance process". The other assistant pointed out.

"Isn't that because those old guys at Kyoto didn't give us any better parts?" Laksharta said annoyed.

Meanwhile back at the train Todoh and his men had subdued the foot soldiers stationed in side the wagons, and where transferring the prisoners into the trucks and hummers.

"Everything has gone according to plan, all we have to do now is reach the river and we will be home free "Ohgi said to himself as he watched the battle from his command position, he had wanted to join as well, but Todoh insisted that there would be bigger battles in the future, and he should not risk dying in this one just then a slash harken was headed towards Todoh's knightmare, Kallen quickly drew her dagger, jumped into the air and deflected it.

And then they saw it the Lancelot in al it's menacing glory appearing from the back of the train and charging them.

"Why…Is that thing here?" Kallen asked concerned.

"Should have known that things were going to smoothly" Todoh said to himself.

(**Clovis memorial museum)**

"And now Princess Euphemia will designate the winner of the exposition" the curator said and gestured towards Euphie.

Euphie walked towards the painting of her father with the bow which designated it as a prize, just then the reporters phone's began ringing like crazy, Darlton's own phone as well, he the gave the order to put it on screen, and there they saw the Lancelot fighting against the Slayers.

Suzaku fired a shot at one of the Gekka's which was dodged, the Gekka hen passed him and s second Gekka tried so slash him with his swords but he managed to block it with his right forearm energy shield, the second Gekka realizing this immediately jumped away to put space between the Lancelot and himself"

"Fighting is….."Suzaku tried to say to himself, but didn't have time in the head of battle to finish his sentence.

"Oh my! The enemy's new machines sure are formidable!" Lloyd said as he observed the battle from inside the command wagon.

"But Cecile-kun." Lloyd said

"Yes?"

"If you view it solely by results, isn't it lucky that since the Lancelot wasn't officially with the convoy, it escaped the trap?" Lloyd asked.

"In other words it is a blessing in disguise is it not." She said.

"Or a curse depending on this battles outcome"

"Is that the white armor that's giving you so much trouble?" Laksharta asked looking at the monitor.

"Y..Yes" Ohgi replied hesitantly.

"Hm!" Laksharta muttered intrigued by the Lancelot.

(**Clovis memorial museum)**

"This is reckless. It's seven against one" one reporter said viewing the screen.

"But that knightmare called "Lancelot" is pretty powerful." Another reported said

"W-Wow, he evaded the enemy's gunfire" a third one exclaimed.

"Do your best silver knight!" a fourth one added.

Euphemia watched anxiously the battle displayed on the monitors, behind her Darlton was talking in his earpiece.

"That's right! Send the armored convoy and everything available to provide cover for Kururugi" he said with a great deal of concern for his student.

"What? That order has already been given? Who gave that order?...Prince Lelouch did?" at hearing this news Darlton chuckled a bit and said to himself "_Even when you're on the other side of the country you somehow manage to help your comrades"._

(**Convoy ambush site)**

"Listen up everyone; we will use our superior numbers and tactics to take down this machine!" Todoh said to the Shiseiken.

"Yes sir!"

"Yes sir!"

"Yes sir!"

"Yes sir!"

"All units widen the gap!"

Todoh gave the order and they complied, Suzaku continued to chase them in his Lancelot at full speed he was on the collision course with the Guren and as soon as he was close enough he slashed his sword at the red knightmare, but Kallen jumped managing to avoid it.

Suzaku seeing that his attacked failed jumped in the air and prepared to find another target.

"Now Asahina move to position x57"Todoh ordered.

Asahina complied and this caught Suzaku off guard, he aimed the V.A.R.I.S at the incoming Gekka, but Asahina slashed him with his sword making the V.A.R.I.S fly away from the Lancelot grip, Asahina then quickly moved to shoot with his left mounted machinegun.

Suzaku after seeing what happened immediately jumped to g et out of close range, Todoh seeing where he would land, immediately rushed his black Gekka towards that position and since Suzaku jumped backwards he did not see him until it was too late, Todoh then unleashed his triple trusts blade attack, upon him, Suzaku damaged to dodge the first and second blow, but the third hit his cockpit.

"This technique….!" He said to himself.

"Another one capable of evading my triple thrust! However….!" Todoh said to himself as he moved his blade along the cockpit slicing off the top.

"A-Ah, this is bad, it doesn't have an escape mechanism yet!" Lloyd said extremely concerned.

"You haven't installed it yet!" Cecile said just as shocked as Lloyd was concerned.

The Lancelot remained still for a moment and then Suzaku moved its body and those present could now see his face.

"It's….Suzaku-kun!" Todoh said his eyes wide with shock.

"E-Eh,,,?" Kallen said to herself equally shocked, the boy she became friends with over these past months, was her enemy.

(**Clovis art gallery)**

"Hey look it's an eleven!" one reporter said.

"The Iron Prince's, Silver knight is a number!" another one continued.

"Why is an eleven in a knightmare" a third one asked.

"Stop the video transmission immediately" Darlton ordered.

"Please wait, I wish to see this" Euphie said towards Darlton and then turned her head back towards the screen.

**(Prison train ambush site)**

Suzaku played with his controls a little and discovered that he could still move, he immediately raised his sword and charged towards Todoh's knightmare.

Todoh blocked the blow with his left arm and then opened his cockpit to talk to Suzaku face to face.

"Stop this Suzaku –kun!"

"Todoh-san!" Suzaku said momentarily surprised that it was his old sensei in that knightmare "Why do you risk your life for Kusakabe, even by the your own standards he deserves to rot in a jail cell for what he is done!" he angrily said towards Todoh.

"Are you disappointed?" the veteran samurai replied.

"Then why not take my head, since I am now your enemy?" he said towards Suzaku with a slight chuckle.

"What's wrong? Didn't you come with this convoy in order to protect it from enemy's?" Todoh asked while his Gekka and Suzaku's Lancelot where in a tug of war.

"Have you degenerated into a useless brat that's only satisfied with the present?" Todoh asked him his voice was with and authoritarian tone, but it was filled with more curiosity that anger.

"It's meaningless to go against the current society, a power that accepts it and tries to change it is then truly….."

"Are you serious?"Todoh asked.

"Of course!" Suzaku replied.

"Then you should travel down that path" Todoh told his former student.

"Eh?" Suzaku said confused, and Todoh used his momentary lapse in concentration to separate their knightmares from their deadlock.

"Be it victory, be it defeat, you won't achieve anything unless you do your best."

"The same applies whether it's at a national or personal level!" Todoh said and then closed his cockpit's hatch.

"Understood!" Suzaku happily said and prepared to continue the battle.

"All units prepare to destroy that white armor" Todoh ordered.

"Wait! That things more powerful than you thing!" Kallen said concerned, her brief skirmish at Narita had taught her the powers of the Lancelot are not to be underestimated.

"I can't wait. Captain Senba Freely rotation, Life or Death Formation!" Chiba ordered and the others complied.

"Wait!" Kallen said concerned.

"Don't worry. It's an attack from four directions. There's no way to evade it!" Asahina said confidently to Kallen.

"And now it's checkmate for them!" Lelouch said as he watched the battle unfold from his monitor; he knew that a battle was one by strategy and not tactics, and now Todoh was relying on tactics.

"Captain Kururugi, release the Haken Booster!"The password is my favorite thing!" Lloyd said over the radio and Suzaku quickly complied and tapped the password.

The ? Haken boosters immediately launched depriving Todoh, Chiba , Urabe and Asahina of their weapons.

"What the? Urabe said.

"Impossible!"Chiba said just as shocked as Urabe, Todoh and Asahina where in similar mental states.

Suzaku retracted the Harkens and hurled his sword at Senba's Gekka damaging it, Asahina quickly jumped it and gave his wounded comrade cover fire with his wrist mounted machine gun.

"Are you alright?" Asahina said concerned for Senba.

"An interesting way of fighting" was all that Senba replied, but he too was flabbergasted at the sheer raw power they were up against.

"Asahina turn to the left, then…." Chiba said

"Stop it! I am picking up multiple enemies on my radar heading this way, this is a rescue mission, not a battle, all units deploy chaff smoke and get the trucks and hummers to the evacuation point!" Todoh ordered and they all complied.

The train was now enveloped in a thick cloud of radar proof smoke and the Gekka's and truck where driving at full speed towards the river, with Suzaku in hot pursuit.

"_Why are they heading towards the river, we detected no boats, and even if they cross it there is open field for miles, they don't have anywhere to hide, what could Todoh-san be thinking?" _Suzaku said in his mind.

As they got nearer and nearer to the banks of the river, Suzaku noticed that the water seemed to be boiling "_It can't bee, the river isn't deep enough to allow one, or is it?"._

A submarine suddenly emerged from the river and its port bow opened up and a Linear cannon similar to the one used at Kawaguchi appeared from within the submarine.

"Here they come, linear cannon fire at will towards the Lancelot!" Ohgi said from the submarines command deck.

The cannon charged it and blasted away Suzaku crossed his arms and the shield automatically activated to block the shrapnel, normally the Lancelot could take one blast without a scratch, but with the sword and V.A.R.I.S not in his possession, his knightmare damaged and his energy filler consumed from the fight the Lancelot was in a weakened state, so weakened that even though the shields had enough power to block the shrapnel the legs did not have enough to dampen the kinetic energy of the bullets, and the sheer force of the impact hurled the Lancelot all the way back towards the train and it impacted one of the wagons and full speed causing it to tilt, Suzaku somehow was unhurt and the Lancelot was intact, but heavily damaged.

"Captain Kururugi! Are you alright, the surviving soldiers said and rushed to his aid.

Suzaku accepted their aid, but he was angry for letting them escape and he watched as the Gekkas and trucks boarded the submarine and it disappeared under the water.

"_Todoh-san I am your enemy!"_ Suzaku said to himself.

(**Clovis memorial museum)**

"Hey he let them get away!" one reporter said.

"Are you stupid, he pursued them until he was bloody blown away, you all saw it" another one pointed out.

"Even so he failed in his duty, he should be court martial led for that!" a third reporter.

"How was he supposed to know they had a bloody submarine in the river!" a forth reported defended Suzaku.

"Suzaku you deed well" Euphemia said under her breath, but Darlton still heard it.

Euphemia was now feeling proud, not only of Suzaku's proves in battle, but also of the fact that among the gathered reporters there were some who defended him, instead of just blaming him was a sign that Lelouch and Suzaku's efforts were starting to pay off, encouraged by this she decided she must also act on the basis of her beliefs.

"Everyone! I have an important announced to make" she said and all the reporters quickly turned towards her.

"I Euphemia di Brittannia have chosen the person who will be my knight, it is that person Kururugi Suzaku" she said towards the astounded reporters, she then turned around and placed the winners bow one the rustic painting painted by the one who had japans blood in his veins.

(**Command submarine)**

After reaching a hidden submarine port within the river, the sub s surfaced .

Kusakabe and the others by now had been untied from their straightjackets and where having celebratory hugs with the others.

"Where is General Katase?" Kusakabe asked curious.

"General Katase is dead!"Todoh said angrily as he approached Katase.

"Since I was his second in command, I hereby take control of the JLF, and my first order is for this submarine to resurface and destroy capture the white knightmare" Kusakabe said.

"Resurface! But sir the brittannian army is encroaching on that position; if we go above water we will be crushed!" Urabe said to Kusakabe.

"We will arrive there before the brittannians can deploy, and if they arrive then we will crush them! As commander of the JLF I order you all to resurface and attack!" Kusakabe barked that order.

"The JLF! The JLF ceased to be a fully fledged organization after Narita!" Todoh said menacily while he moved closer until he was face to face with Kusakabe.

He then punched Kusakabe so hard and so fast that he flew ten feet backwards from the blow.

"AND THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR ACTIONS THE JLF AND GENERAL KUSAKABE WILL BE REMEMBERED BY HiSTORY AS BLOOD THIRSTY KILLERS AND TERORISTS!". Todoh shouted from the top of his lungs at Kusakabe who was lying on the floor.

"I want Todoh subdued; he assaulted a superior officer!" Kusakabe ordered, but then saw that no one was obeying his order, not even the men with whom he was imprisoned with!

"What are you doing? I am the commander of the JLF and Todoh's superior and I order you to arrest him!" Kusakabe shouted angrily.

"Haven't you been listening, the JLF for all intents and purposes ceased to be after Narita, a new organization has taken its place 'the Slayers'."Todoh replied.

"And you've taken controlled of this organization?" Kusakabe asked angrily.

"No! The leader of the organization is this man." Todoh said and then waived his hand towards Ohgi.

"The squad leader of those raw recruits, I am Katase heir; I will not serve under some peasant!" Kusakabe barked back while he got back on his feet.

"You will not serve at all!" Todoh yelled back.

"What do you mean?" Kusakabe asked startled by that sentence.

"Because of what you did at Kawaguchi Zero had the necessary motive to brand us as terrorists and had a legitimate reason to launch a full scale attack! Because of Narita General Katase was left vulnerable and he died, your actions brought disaster upon us and if you would continue to remain a part of this organization then disaster would strike us again, so we are banishing you from the Slayers and any other resistance organization in Japan" Todoh replied.

Kusakabe was shocked at what he heard and saw that everyone was ok with this, even his own subordinate.

"Fine! I don't need you spineless cowards anyway, I will do what I should have done seven years ago, I will journey to China and join Sawasaki, and when I return here with an army to liberate the country , the first thing I will do is kill all the traitors, and you Todoh will be the first one I kill!" he said and stormed off into the night.

"Should we just let him go?"Tamaki asked Ohgi.

"Colonel Todoh knows him better than me, if he decides to let him go, then I agree Ohgi replied.

(**Mobile command center, Lelouch quarters)**

"Even I couldn't have predicted they'd have a bloody submarine in the river!" Lelouch said as he took a puff of smoke from his cigarette.

Lelouch by know was relaxing in his chair and was smoking a cigarette, and as usual he only smoked when he was stressed or something didn't went according to plan, and such a scenario was now.

Suzaku's unmasking was too early, his original plan was to get a great deal of battle merit before unmasking him, Siberia, Narita and Kawaguchi made the Black knights famous, but he wanted to wait until after the 42nd first victory to reveal Suzaku's face.

"I can see the line forming already" he said to himself.

A line in the sand had great meaning, before wars or conflicts began two belligerent factions would naturally be born, and people would chose sides or rather choose which side of the line they would be.

With their so called murder of Clovis their actions at Narita and their accomplishment tonight Todoh would only get more support, from the data he managed to get from the worms virus he implanted in the JLF computers before the antivirus kicked in Lelouch could tell that a great and powerful army was sitting right under their noses, "Only Clovis would be stupid enough to allow such a thing to happen!" He said to himself.

The army which up until now had been divided would unite now, since whoever was leading the JLF now showed that the Empire could be defeated, those who are anti Brittannian's would also join their ranks.

On the other hand with the revelation that the "Silver Knight" is an eleven, the message that a number can work his way up in the world will spread throughout the Empire, and those who are pro Brittannian will join the Black knights.

He could see the factions forming, the armies mustering and the battle line's where being assembled.

The lines was forming before him, and unless Todoh could be stopped, tragedy will visit Japan's shores once more, what he and Suzaku had tried so hard to avert will come to pass and the country will run red with blood.

"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!" he said and took another puff of smoke.

He then pulled out a picture which showed the Guren pilot boarding the knightmare which was the only other bit of information the virus managed to extract before the antivirus kicked in, unfortunately the pilot picture was shot from the back, and the only information he could get was that the pilot had red hair.

"I'll find you! You bitch, and when I do I'll stab your heart with my own dagger" he said out loud in anger and then burned

(**Lelouch apartment Ashford Academy)**

C.C was bored so she decided to play with Lelouch's computer, after opening all of his files she found that Lelouch computer was in direct link with the Tokyo concession police security camera system.

And so for the past hour she had looked over hundred of security pictures, but then she suddenly stopped and starred at one particular picture, a silver haired ghost of her past which had finally caught up to her.

"Mao! "she said in shock.

**Authors note:**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue, also this has been a longer chapter so it will take time until I update again.**


	14. Phase XIV: Devil May Cry!

Phase XIV: Devil May Cry!

**(Ashford academy)**

**A week after the train rescue**

Rueben Ashford was in his office and on the other side of his desk Lelouch was standing with a file under his left arm.

"I have something that would interest you uncle Rueben" Lelouch said and handled him the file.

Rueben opened the file and inside it were contracts for weapons, ammunition, knightmares and spare parts for his 42bd corps.

"Those contracts could make a man very wealthy, and all they require is your signature" Lelouch said to a now eyes wide in astonishment Rueben Ashford.

"Such valuable contracts surely don't come free; you wouldn't be giving them to me unless you don't want something in return" Rueben said, his years as a business man told him that this was true.

Lelouch picked up an unsolved rubix cube from Rueben's desk and started playing with it.

"You are correct uncle! What I want is for you to stop forcing Millie to attend those arrange marriage meetings and let her bee with who she wants" Lelouch said and then after a few moves of the cubes sides he placed it back on the table.

"That's it? Done! But may I ask why that is your request?" Rueben asked curiously.

Lelouch simply got up and walked towards the door, opened it but before he exited he turn around and said.

"Millie is one of the few friends I have, I want her to be able to live her life freely and happy" he said in a tone which was calm and silent but had a murderous intonation within it, he then exited the room.

Rueben was both ashamed by the truth in Lelouch's words, and terrified by Lelouch voice, how that boy could be soft spoken, considerate and have the face off an angel one minute and then shift to a thunderous, scary and almost demonic in appearance another moment, truly made him shiver.

He them looked at the rubix cube that Lelouch had played for a few moments and noticed that it was solved.

"I've been working on this thing for months!" he said to himself.

To tell the truth Rueben despite knowing Lelouch since he was a baby realized that he may have not known him at all, and that after years of living in the shadows he was now coming to light, but he was off one thing certain.

"I am sure glad I am not his enemy!" he said while he glanced at the rubix cube.

**(Governor's palace)**

Suzaku's knighting ceremony was being performed and while he walked across the room to where Euphie was his highly sensitive hearing from years in the military picked up the gossip and whisper of the nobles.

"An eleven being chosen as a royal knight, what is princess Euphemia thinking?" one noble whispered to another.

"Well she does have needs like any other woman" another one said and a chuckle full of malice came out.

Meanwhile back at Ashford the whole school was watching the ceremony, and every student was shocked that their student council member was not only the 'Silver knight', but now he became a royal knight.

"You've got to be kidding! An eleven a knight!" one of the two boys from Shinjuku said.

"And with the knighthood he will have the rank of major at least, and before that he was a captain in the Black Knights!" the other boy from Shinjuku said.

"Won't there be problems at the knighting ceremony?" Rivals asked concerned.

"Don't worry! Lelouch said it's all covered."Millie said.

"Kururugi Suzaku, will you cast away your fear and become a sword and shield of the empire" Euphemia said to Suzaku who was kneeling before her.

"Yes your highness" Suzaku said and he then handed Euphie his sword.

"Then I Euphemia di Brittannia grant you the title, power and responsibility as my knight, arise Sir Kururugi" she said with a wave of the hand towards the crowd.

Suzaku then got up and faced the crowd of nobles gathered for the knighting ceremony, and despite the fact that it was considered both polite and customary to clap; none of those assembled did so.

Just then a two pairs of hands started to clap, all eyes directed themselves to were the sound was coming, and saw that it was Lloyd Asplundh and Prince Lelouch wearing his Zero costume, Darlton who was also present joined the two and soon the entire room followed and clapped.

A few minutes later the celebratory reception was held, Euphemia and Suzaku stayed for a while then exited discretely Lelouch walked to Euphie and Suzaku.

"Ah Lelouch so glad you could make it!" Euphie said happily.

"Although I admit I consider no one more qualified than you to protect Euphemia Suzaku, I have to ask you Euphie have you ever considered to ask me before you announce it to the world?" Lelouch said, his voice didn't contain anger or irritation, just a hint of disappointment.

"Well I am sorry about that" Euphie said with a chuckle which was the one she used as a little girl when she'd get caught stealing a cookie as a snack right before lunch or dinner.

"Now I have to find another captain of the guards! And they just don't have a sign slapped on their backs saying 'Captain of the guards for hire,', now all my plans for you Suzaku are derailed" Lelouch said with a breath of exasperation.

"Well or course Suzaku will remain part of the black knights, and I can let you borrow him anytime you want" Euphie said like a wife who was willing to lend her husband to another woman , this caused Suzaku to blush, but he quickly got over it and asked Lelouch a question.

"Plans for me? What do you mean?" Suzaku asked curious.

"For you to join the knights of rounds" Lelouch replied calmly.

"The! The knights of rounds! But! But that's…..!"

"The highest military power a non royal could rise to, I was planning that after the 42nd gets a major victory, I would ask for you to be elevated to that status, it is customary for princes who have won victories to be granted almost anything, but since you are now Euphemia's knight, I cannot do that anymore, and why are you so surprise, rising through the ranks was you're idea to begin with?" Lelouch replied to a now awed Suzaku.

"Yes! But I thought that it would take me decades to reach that!"Suzaku said to Lelouch.

"The game of power is one of speed, you must act face and seize power before anybody else!...But for today let us put that aside, Millie has a celebration party planed for you in an hour, if we want to make it we should go now" Lelouch replied and departed.

"Sorry Euphemia-sama, but I have to go" he tried to leave but was caught by the shoulders by Euphie's arm.

"What is it?" Suzaku asked as he turned around towards her, only for Euphie to give him a peck on the cheeks which made him blush greatly.

"I told you to call me Euphie! And have fun at the party!" Euphie said with a small scowl which at the second part of the sentence turned into a smile, and when Suzaku recovered from being flabbergasted, he bowed and quickly went on his way.

(**Tokyo concession commercial center)**

Jeremiah was walking towards Ashford academy, his intent was to present the report on the now finished 42nd corps towards prince Lelouch himself, he could have just faxed it, but after working so hard on the army, and being so proud with the results of their training he wanted to see his reaction first hand.

He was about to enter the campus when he saw in front of him a woman carrying a small basket with her about to enter the exit gates of the marked as well.

"You're Miss Sayoko aren't you?" he said towards her.

"Yes! I'm flattered you remembered me lord Jeremiah!" Sayoko said and gave a curtsy.

Jeremiah responded with a short bow of the torso and said.

"Are you on your way towards Ashford?" he asked at which Sayoko replied with a nod of the head.

"So am I! Let me help you with that basket"

"Oh no, I couldn't impose!" she replied bashfully.

"Nonsense! We are both going in the same direction and it would be ungentlemanly of me to let a fair lady carry it" he said and at this Sayoko blushed slightly and presented him the basket.

Jeremiah grabbed it with both hands and as soon as Sayoko let go of the basked the sheer weight of it pulled Jeremiah on his knees on the concrete.

"_How could such a little basked way so much! What's in it anyway rock?"_ he said in his mind as he now used his full strength to raise it and himself to his feat.

"Oh! I forgot to tell , I bought some new 80 pound dumbbells , my old ones were becoming rather light for me to use to train" Sayoko said to Jeremiah with an innocent smile.

"_80 pound dumbbells! Even I have trouble when training with those! What is she? Supermaid?"_ Jeremiah said as the shock of the information he just received was now greater than the dumbbells in the basked.

"If those are to heavy you can give them back to me!" Sayoko said with concern in her voice for Jeremiah.

"Non…..nonsense! I can carry these" he said in between puffs of air for strength Sayoko could tell that he was having a hard time and the fact that he acted so cavalier made her smile sincerely and feel weary flattered, since it was a long time a man was such a gentleman with her, and so they began their journey towards Ashford.

(**Student Council Clubhouse)**

"And now our student council members Kururugi Suzaku's celebratory party for his recent knighthood can commence!" Rivals shouted while he poured Suzaku a drink.

"Cheers!" the assembled students shouted.

"So are you and Lelouch still fighting Shirley?" Millie asked her.

"Were not actually fighting, it's rather me who made a mistake, I just wish Lelouch would tell me the reason why he can't date a girl" Shirley said with a sad tone.

Millie saw this, and she herself had feelings for Lelouch and she knew that since he was a prince he was expected to have an arrange marriage prepared for him by his father.

"Maybe the reason he doesn't date girls, is that he dates boys!" she pointed out to Lelouch who had his arm swanged over Suzaku's shoulder.

"You know that both of them spent a lot of time together…..Ah the forbidden romance of male lovers, can you imagine that! " Millie said and switched an seductive voice and continued with "The two of them in bed, naked and making love, their bodies linked, their mouth kissing!"

"IT….IT CAN'T BE TRUE LULU!" Shirley screamed in her head.

Kallen who was close enough to hearing the conversation was a syllable away from having nose bleed, she had originally come here to assassinate Suzaku since he was now her enemy, but after accidentally listening in on Millie's theory for Lelouch lack of a girlfriend, all assassination thought stopped and she ran out of the club room towards the girls gym locker, after hearing that she needed a long cold shower.

And so unknown to anyone Millie had saved Suzaku from an assassination attempt with the power of yaoi!

Meanwhile Lelouch silent alarm on his phone rang meaning that Mao had just entered school grounds, C.C told him three days ago that Mao was a geass user she granted power, but he lost control of it, and after telling him how they only had themselves to depend upon for survival, he knew that Mao would come back for her and kill anyone who even had remote contact with her, so he formed a plan to counter Mao.

"Suzaku I need your help for a moment" Lelouch said to him, Suzaku nodded in agreement and they both temporarily left the clubroom.

Lelouch was now inside Ashford Academy's warehouse, and the warehouse only occupant at the moment was his mothers old Ganymede, the rest of it was empty, he was with his back pressed against the frame, his arms crossed and his legs as well.

He had formulated a plan on how to defeat Mao, and despite the fact that he was very afraid of the power of telepathy which C.C informed him off, he was eager to see if he could defeat a geass user using his wits.

" _Who knows maybe all that crap I told C.C about how only humans can decide the fate of the world is true if I defeat this Mao guy"_ he said in his mind.

"That is a big if!" Mao said as he entered the warehouse.

"So you're the face behind the mask of the Iron Prince?" Mao said, he then clapped a little and said "Congratulations, you put on quite a show! If I wasn't here to kill you I'd ask for an autograph since I am a fan of yours" he said with a chuckle.

"I don't suppose I can convince you to join me or something like that? I could use somebody like you, and I can pay you richly if you say yes" Lelouch asked sincerely with a smile on his face and chuckle in his voice.

"Sorry! Tempting offer, but all I am interest it is C.C" Mao replied with a grin.

He then pulled out a pistol from his coat and pointed it at Lelouch.

"I don't suppose I can either convince you to take the witch and just go without killing me is there?" Lelouch asked with a smile on his face.

"Sorry man, security issues, you're a general so you understand the importance of keeping a secret can't you?" Mao replied, he was almost starting to regret having to kill such an interesting guy who didn't even flinch at the prospect of death.

"Well why don't you put your plan into action, from what I can pickup, you plan is to kick my ass and then call in Suzaku to arrest me" Mao said and waited in anticipation.

"If you insist!" Lelouch said with a chuckle.

He then pulled out a magic wand which was like the one used by the fairy godmother in the Disney movie Cinderella and started waiving it.

"Bibbidi (he waived the wand to the left) Bobbidi ( he waived the wand to the right) Boo! He touched his forehead with the wand and then suddenly vanished.

"What! "Mao said in shock at what he just witnessed, and started waiving the gun around in all directions trying to find the missing prince.

"That's a real neat trick your highness, but you forget I can locate you by reading your thoughts!" he replied and tried to do just that.

"_This can't be, I can't read his thought, it's like he just vanished for real!" _Mao said in his mind, he then noticed that C.C was in the warehouse with her back turned towards him.

"C.C!" he said and ran towards her, he reached her and grabbed her shoulder to spin her around and when he did he saw that her face was skull.

"GwaaaaaaaaaaH" it growled demonically at him, which caused Mao to jump back in fear.

"What! What in God's name!" Mao said out loud.

"God ? He's not the one in control here, I am!"Lelouch voiced echoed trough out the warehouse.

"You said you were a fan of mine, and such you should have know that the E.U calls me the Niddhog , and guess what you just stepped into my lair! Hah ha ha ha ha ha" Lelouch demonic laughter filled the warehouse sending shivers down Mao's spine.

"Stop it! Stop the laughing!" Mao shouted.

Just then the ground began to shake and collapse, only to reveal a massive pit, Mao was now standing is a mall 10 meters in diameter circle, and saw that at the bottom of the pit there was rivers of lava, boiling cauldrons, all kinds of torture devices, and within them there where what seemed to be humans being tortured by Devils.

"What the! This…this looks like!"

"Hell?" Lelouch booming voiced echoed throughout the area cutting Mao off.

And then he saw a giant Lelouch emerge from the rivers of Lava, he towered over Mao, such a sight drove any bit of sanity and calmness away from him, he started shooting bullets into the air and the giant Lelouch's head.

Lelouch stretched his arm and picket Mao up with his big finger and his opposable thumb, like a person picks up an appetizer, he lifted him towards his mouth.

"Itadakimasu!" the giant Lelouch said and swallowed Mao.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" Mao shouted and fell to his knees from sheer horror.

Looking around he saw that he was back in the warehouse and that Lelouch was still perched against the Ganymede.

Lelouch calmly left his position, walked a few feet to Mao who was in front of him and took the gun from his hand, Mao was to shaken up by what he experienced to put up a fight.

After Lelouch took his gun, Mao picked up some of his thoughts and realized what just happened.

"You…! You imagined everything from a first person perspective since you knew I would read your mind and experience it myself, and to block my attempt to find out about it, you kept repeating over and over in your head "I'll kick his ass and then Suzaku will arrest him!" Mao finished, and he also realized that he tricked him into using up his guns bullets with the fake giant Lelouch.

"Are….are you a demon?" Mao asked hesitantly.

"No, I am just a man, and the reason I defeated you is that you like 99% of this world population rely on tactics to win a fight, and a battle is won by strategy" Lelouch calmly said and then shouted for Suzaku to come in and arrest him.

"Come along now!" Suzaku said and placed a hand on Mao's shoulder.

"Take your hand of off me you father murdered!" Mao angrily shouted and got back on his feat.

"What! No….I!" Suzaku said in shock that his deep secret had been discovered.

"What do you mean? That's what you did you killed your father! He didn't want to surrender, he wanted Japan to fight to the death, and you disagreed so you killed him! What wanting to change the system, wanting to sacrifice yourself for others, you put yourself on the front lines in the hopes that some lucky shot will end the miserable existence you call you r life"

"You're not a selfless and noble knight, you're a suicidal maniac with the most powerful weapon this side of the Pacific, if there's anyone who should be looked up its you!" Mao shouted towards Suzaku, and the burden of the disclosure of his inner most thought made him fall to his knees.

"MAO! SHUT UP!" Lelouch boiling with anger at what Mao did to Suzaku shouted and quickly used his imagination again, he imagined the most terrifying monster he saw as a child, the greatest fear he experienced as a young man, and the most horrible sight and most painful pain he experienced as a soldiers, he added those up and mentally multiplied them by 10.000.

"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Mao screeched in pain, what he just saw was almost beyond description in its sheer horror and intensity.

Mao felt the pain of thousands of soldiers who were wounded on the battlefield, saw monsters and images he had not seen in the most intense horror movies, he was in a whirlwind of death, horror, pain madness, which made him scream so hard he tore up his own vocal cords, and collapsed back on the floor.

"_The Horror….. The sheer horror! He's not a man,…..a devil! He is the devil himself, I have to get away, far away from him,….not Lelouch, not Lelouch, Lucifer, he is LUCIFER!"_Mao mentally screamed as he dragged his body on his hands and knees towards the exit.

When he finally reached it the door opened and C.C kneeled down before Mao.

"C.C!" Mao happily and tearfully somehow managed to mutter despite the damage to his vocal cords.

"Mao, go and wait for me in the land of the dead" C.C said and shot him in the neck, Mao died instantly and an expression of f peace covered his face since in his last moments he had finally managed to reunite with his beloved C.C, Mao despite all that died a happy man.

Lelouch noticed that but quickly turned his attention towards Suzaku.

"I….I had no choice, if I hadn't…if I hadn't…." Suzaku muttered to himself in a near catatonic state.

"If you hadn't then even more blood would have been spilled, by killing your father you save thousands and possibly millions of lives" Lelouch said to his friend.

That brought Suzaku out of his state and back to reality.

"Lelouch! I…..I had no choice" Suzaku said with a tremble in his voice.

"I know that, and what you did was necessary" Lelouch calmly said and he knelt next to Suzaku "Your father refused to see that the battle was lost, so he continued to fight a losing battle, you had no choice but to do so" he then placed his hands on Suzaku's soldiers and said "You did what was necessary, and doing what is necessary means doing one evil to prevent a bigger evil from coming to fruitation, and you don't have to explain it to me, I understand completely what it means to have a father who thinks the world revolves around him" At those words of comfort, and the fact that Lelouch was a kindred spirit all Suzaku could do was brake down and start crying.

"Let it out Suzaku, let it all out, there is no shame in shame in crying, for us warriors who see the horrors of war crying is a reminder that no matter how savage and destructive our actions may be, we are still human" Lelouch said in a comforting voice and gave his friend his shoulder to cry on.

Meanwhile outside a heavy rain started to pour.

"_They say that the reason rain falls after great battles is that God sheds tears because his children are shedding each other's blood, but some say that in fact the devil also sheds tears of happiness on the destruction he manipulates the humans into."_

"_The Devil may cry out of happiness and God probably sheds tears of sadness, but within these tidal waves of sorrow and despair those who survive the battle can drown in them… I will not let that happen to you old friend" _Lelouch said to himself as he tighten his grip protectively around Suzaku.

**(Tokyo concession sidewalk)**

Jeremiah noticed that the rain was starting, and quickly pulled out an umbrella from within his jacked and opened it before the rain started.

Both Sayoko and Jeremiah were now under the umbrella.

Sayoko herself was blushing greatly, for in Japanese culture its usually lovers who share an umbrella in the rain, Jeremiah was not aware of this and though the bright color in her cheeks was the signs that she was catching a cold, and that is how the two of them continued on their journey towards Ashford.

**(Mainland China, Pengai island military base)**

"It's good to see you again Kusakabe, it is good to see a familiar face in a foreign land" Sawasaki said as he poured some sake into Kusakabe's cup.

"That bastard Todoh kicked me his superior out of the JLF!" Kusakabe said as he drank from his cup

"Not only that, but he even made a mere peasant the leader of the resistance movement!" he exclaimed.

"That is what you get when people of weak heart are given power, I admit that as a commander Todoh is brilliant, but he is lacking of the necessary skill of a leader" Sawasaki said.

"Do you know the reason Japan lost the Second Pacific war? It was because all those foreigners within the country! They weakened our once powerful country; Genbu understood that, so he conducted a policy of isolationism, he also fought to rebuilt the Empire of the Rising Sun and he would have succeeded of only he followed my advice to the letter, I recommended that the foreigners be arrested on the charges of espionage, and that all the pacifist and unpatriotic civilians be sent to labor camps as punishment, but he refuse to do that, and because of that those traitors from within, and foreigners our country is in such a sad state of affairs" Sawasaki said out loud.

"I agree, the first thing to do when we liberate the country is to get rid of the traitors within and then we can focused on the real enemy" Kusakabe said and raised his cup in a toast.

"I agree, supreme commander Kusakabe of the new Free Japan " Sawasaki said and they both toasted to that.

A few hours latter.

Kusakabe was in his room, and he prepared to go to sleep, when as he lied down he saw that he was not alone in his room.

"Who are you!" Kusakabe asked and drew his katana.

"Good evening colonel Kusakabe, my name is V.V and I have a contract to propose to you" the blond haired youth said.

(**Meanwhile back at Ashford Academy)**

Situated on the school roof C.C looked out into the distance, behind her was Lelouch talking on the phone.

"Yes Lloyd I want you to come to the school warehouse with a radiation wave analyzer and do s sweep of the Area" he said in the phone and then ended the conversation.

"How is Suzaku?" C.C asked while turning her head to face Lelouch.

"He is much better now, although I was a little shocked myself upon hearing what he had done" Lelouch answered her.

"To Mao I was his only friend, the only one who would love him, he was more a victim than a monster, and after thinking about it, it makes me wonder if what you said to me was right, after all how could a monster like what Mao became decided the fate of humanity" C.C said towards Lelouch, but he remained silent.

"Lelouch, I could go away, break our contract, and if I do that you would remain safe" C.C and she was dead serious about it.

"Remain safe? In a world like this were the weak are nothing but food for the strong the word 'safe' is nonexistent, I pledged to change the world and in that you are my partner in crime, we made a pact and for better or worse, until death to us part we stick to it" he said extending his hand towards her.

At this gesture C.C took his hand in her own and with a smile on her face said:

"Was that a marriage proposal boy?"

"Well I already decided to become a devil, I suppose I will need a witch as my queen after all." He said with a chuckle.

**Authors note, I am going on vacation, so I won't update until mid September, until then read and review and let me know if I should continue.**


	15. Phase XV: Picking the chess pieces

Phase XV: Picking the chess pieces.

(42nd training field)

Lelouch was on a hill with his laptop on his lap, next to him was Suzaku who was cleaning his knight insignia, Lelouch was currently viewing various hand to hand combat footage from training reels, martial arts movies and various karate and sword tournaments, the reason he was viewing them was to memorize all of the known attacks and counters for them, Lelouch knew that if he would lead from the front sooner or later he would get into close quarters combat, he did not have the stamina for a long fight, but he realized that there was a way to even that out.

He knew that there are two kinds of fighters, a warrior and a master, a warrior was someone who was young, strong, fast and trained in combat, he could fight long and hard, a master was a warrior who had fought hundreds of battles and used thousands of moves, he did not have the stamina and strength of a warrior, he had such a great amount of knowledge of moves and combat experience that he could defeat or possibly even kill a warrior with only one attack or defense, making him a much more deadly opponent.

That was what Lelouch was doing viewing the combat footage; he was memorizing how to see an attacks weak point and hit it before the attack hits you, in essence what took decades of training, practice and meditation Lelouch was achieving it in a matter of hours.

"Alright let's test it!" Lelouch said as he got up on his feet towards Suzaku.

"Are you sure about this Lelouch?" Suzaku asked concerned for his friend.

"Positive! I have to know just how am I going to fare in close Quarter combat, once we are in battle, now I want you to attack me with all your might, if you hold out, we are not friends anymore!" Lelouch answered Suzaku's question with a firm voice.

Suzaku was taken aback by Lelouch response, and hesitantly he got into fighting stance and threw a punch at Lelouch face, only for it to be deflected by Lelouch left arm.

Suzaku was shocked at this and threw a second punch; Lelouch deflected it with his right arm, took a step forward, crouched down, united both his palms in a prayer movement, and with the force of his whole body elbowed Suzaku in the abdomen.

Suzaku jerked back from the pain, took a few steps back, hugged his abdomen with his arms and starred at Lelouch in disbelief.

"_Is this really the same Lelouch who fainted during the hundred mile dash?"_ Suzaku said in his mind in disbelief, Lelouch was himself staring at his hands equally as amazed at his own proficiency.

He then gestured towards Suzaku to attack him again, Suzaku did this, only this time he attacked without holding back, and Launched with gull force a sweeping kick to Lelouch head, only for it to be countered by an elbow block straight in the foot's bone, and once again Suzaku jerked back in pain, and this is how it went for a few minutes.

Suzaku would attack, and Lelouch with an encyclopediatic knowledge of counter attacks would divert the blow or block it, while at the same time attack Suzaku where he was the most vulnerable of all, to Suzaku it was like punching water, the usual opponents Suzaku faced were like solid matter which once you hit it, it would bounce back and hit you back, water on the other hand didn't take the full blunt of the blow, it softened it, trapped it for a moment and used the full force of your attack to counter it at the same time, the only other person who Suzaku recalled was able to do this was Todoh who trained him, after a few more minutes Lelouch fell to the ground in exhaustion and their 'fight' stopped.

"Hah…..hah…..how much time was I able to last hah…hah" Lelouch asked between breaths of air.

"I'd say about fifteen minutes, after that you collapse from exhaustion hah…..hah…" Suzaku replied also gasping, but it was not from exhaustion, for he wasn't even sweating, it was from pain, Lelouch had managed to fight like a master of aikido, the only reason he hadn't finish Suzaku off was the fact that Lelouch only used a block and a counter attack, if he would have attacked a second time he would have no doubt delivered Suzaku a finishing blow.

"How much did you hold back….hah….ha?" Lelouch asked as he got back on his feet.

"Hold back? Are you crazy, I hit you with everything I had and you still pushed me back and hit me where it hurts, if this was a knightmare duel, I'm sure I would have been forced to eject by now!" Suzaku retorted out loud.

"Really?" Lelouch asked a little amazed.

"Really! If you only had some muscle you'd be Arthur reborn!" Suzaku replied with a chuckle.

Just then the sound of horses running was heard and Lelouch saw two riders approaching.

"Hello my pretty boys, Virginia has arrived!" one of the riders said his voice filled with happiness and laughter and both riders dismounted.

"Well I'll be dammed! George Patton and Omar Bradley!" Lelouch said out loud happy to see his old classmates from West Point.

George was wearing an old world war II helmet on his head and had a grave voice, Bradley had a pair of glasses on and both were with short brown hair.

"General! Major!" George said and saluted both of them and shook both of their hands , the same thing was done by Omar.

"It's good to see you again Lord Patton and Bradley" Suzaku replied after returning the salute and handshake.

"I told you to drop the formalities at West Point Suzaku!" Bradley replied.

"Well what are the two of you doing here anyway?" Lelouch asked curious.

"It is my understanding that you are in need of officers for your new corps?" George asked a wide grin on his face.

Lelouch nodded in reply.

"Well! First Lieutenants Patton and Bradley reporting for duty!" George replied and both men saluted.

"But why would you want to serve under me?" Lelouch replied.

"Oh come on Lelouch it would be just like West Point again, the four of us tearing it up like old times!" Bradley replied.

"Also our fathers got us cushy desk jobs, their afraid of us getting killed so they arranged that any commander we try to apply for a field commission turns us down, and we became soldiers so we could lead men, not push papers" George replied.

Lelouch himself knew the feeling of an over protective family member, that combined with the fact that he knew both men and worked with them at West Point made them ideal candidates for his army.

"Well the 761st knightmare battalion requires a major and a captain…but I have to warn you that it's composed entirely out of numbers….."Lelouch replied and waited for their reaction.

"Well that doesn't bother me! As long as I get to command knightmares I am good to go, what abut you Omar?" George replied his face with a wide grin.

"Doesn't bother me at all !" Bradley replied with a smile.

"Well then welcome aboard Major Patton and Captain Bradley!" Lelouch said with a smile and saluted, Suzaku did the same thing.

"Well then I think this calls for a toast!" George said and pulled out two big bottles of Coca Cola, he believed a soldier should never touch alcohol, he then put both bottle caps on his eyes, closed them, contracted his eye cavity muscles, twisted the bottles and unscrewed them.

"Cheers!" Suzaku said as he took a sip of Cola and the others did in kind.

Lelouch, Suzaku and Bradley were not fazed by this, George had done that stunt before, and one thing was certain about him, he was the tough as nails screwball cavalry commander that the 761st would need if they were going to make a name for themselves.

(**Six houses meeting room)**

Todoh and Ohgi were presenting their plans for the Slayers to the six houses of Kyoto or rather Ohgi was presenting Todoh's plans.

"So what is your strategy for the future?" Taizo Kirihara asked curiously, a sentiment which was shared by the other families.

"There are three courses which we could follow" Todoh replied and he began his presentation.

"The first course of action would be to start the revolution now, but I am afraid that the only thing we would be capable of doing is conquer Tokyo or Honshu at the most and maybe manage to hold it for a month or two before the reserves stationed in Kyushu, Shikoku and Hokkaido would overwhelm us"

"The second course of action would be to trigger massive riots all over the country, that would prevent the Brittannian army from concentrating and we could destroy them before they could concentrate their forces."

"The third and final course of action would be to wait until the E.U or China intervene and then we strike" Todoh said towards the family members.

"In your opinion what would be the best course of action?" Sumeragi Kaguya asked curious.

"The second course would be, since the only faction who has a reason to intervene is China it is likely that Sawasaki and Kusakabe will invade soon, and speaking frankly I do not wish to join them" Todoh replied.

"Do you thing triggering a nationwide anti-government riot is feasible?" Hidenobu Kubouin said.

"I doubt it, the reason anti brittannian sentiment was so strong was that most of the population lived in ghettos' and slums, but now you can't even call them ghettos since Zero's Phoenix fund has by now finish 30% of their rebuilding and Princess Euphemia's actions have shown the people that even a number can live and even rise through the ranks of Brittannia if he is loyal and hard working, by estimate I would say it would take decades before anti-brittannian sentiment would be high enough for a nationwide riot" Todoh replied.

"Would working with Sawasaki really be that bad?" Tatsunori Osakabe asked.

"I can speak for the common people and I can say that they fear the Chinese as much as they fear the Brittannian's even more possibly, also Sawasaki was called the 'Nippon Nazi' by the people before the invasion so I doubt he would have much support among the populace" Ohgi replied.

"So what would be our best course of action?" Taizo Kirihara asked.

"Currently all we can do is built up out strength and transform the resistance movements from small armies working together into a unified fighting force" Todoh replied.

"And after that what do you suggest we do?" Tousai Munakata asked.

"We do the following if Sawasaki invades this is his most likely route of invasion" Todoh said and pointed towards a map which appeared on a plasma screen.

"He will most likely land in Kyushu in the Saga and Nagasaki prefectures, he will then advance his army towards the northern beaches of Oita and Fukuoka, and he will then fortify the beaches. Wait for the eventual Brittannian landing and try to crush them on the beaches, when the Brittannian's invade the Kyushu beaches, then is the time to strike!" Todoh said and the map changed to show only Honshu.

"The Brittannian's will leave only a minimal force in Honshu and when they land on the beaches we will take Kyoto, Mount Fuji, Tokyo and southern coast of Honshu, therefore trapping the Brittannians on the sea between us and Sawasaki" .he paused to let this sink in.

"If we do this right the Brittannians will lose, we will then be able to proclaim and independent Japan in Honshu and since we would have only minimal casualty's from this plan we would have enough strength to resist the eventual Brittannian counter attack." Todoh finished his sentence.

"Wouldn't Sawasaki then invade Honshu, under the pretext of aiding in the revolution?" Taizo Kirihara asked.

"No. his forces would be too weakened from the Conquest of Kyushu to take on our own forces, also by announcing the independence of Japan from Tokyo or Mount Fuji would seem more credible than announcing it from Fukuoka city or as such" Todoh replied.

"The plan you put forth is nothing short of excellent Colonel…but I fear we are forgetting one factor" Kaguya said which confused those present.

"What factor is that Lady Kaguya?" Ohgi asked curiously.

"Lelouch !" she replied and the whole room started muttering.

"His 42nd corps is stationed there in Shinjuku, I suspect he has predicted the danger of an invasion of Kyushu and with him leading those present there, there is a change he could defeat the Chinese invasion" Kaguya worryingly replied.

Ohgi and Todoh realized that she wasn't exaggerating, Ohgi had bore the brunt of Zero's tactical and combat prowess when he ambushed them at Narita and defeated Kallen's Guren without a sweat, and Todoh had experienced just how capable Lelouch had chosen his subordinates in the town of Narita, and now with 50.000 men at his disposal he truly was a force to bee reckon with.

"Since Shinjuku you have been following his exploits, I have to ask this Kaguya you either have developed an obsession for him or an infatuation for him, who one is it?" Taizo asked out loud.

"It is not obsession to keep an eye on the enemy's generals who are capable, and is it wrong for a woman to admire a man of strength and power?" Kaguya replied.

Her answer was typical of a veteran politician to a common man it was difficult to comprehend it's meaning, nut to those present with the exception of Ohgi its meaning was clear.

Kaguya kept an eye on Lelouch since he was a capable general, this was understood by Todoh, but since she was also a woman it was within every woman's nature to admire a man of power and strength such as Lelouch, Kirihara did not approve of it, but neither could she blame her for that, why at one point he and Genbu Kururugi planned to have Lelouch and Kaguya marry, and he knew what influence a man of power could have over the hearts of women, since he himself was once young.

"I approve of Todoh's plan" Hidenobu Kubouin said breaking the silence and the rest of the room agreed.

"In the end no amount of planning can make everything go according to plan, all we can do is our best, and what happens depends on the heavens" Kaguya replied and everyone in the room agreed.

(**Lelouch office 42****nd**** mobile command center)**

Lelouch was conversing with Nunnally and Euphemia over the phone and he was happy to hear their voices.

"So George and Omar are going to be Black knight! That's wonderful brother, now your friends from West Point are at your side!" Nunnally replied happily since she knew them and could sleep sound at night knowing her brother would be safe.

"Also the refrain victims are starting to recover nicely, why just yesterday Kallen's mother was shoving signs of recovery!" Euphie said over the phone.

At this statement Lelouch jumped up from his seat in surprise.

"Did you just say Kallen's mother?"Lelouch asked his sisters.

"Y….yes!" Euphie replied a bit startled.

"That means that Kallen's mother is Japanese?" Lelouch asked very curious.

"Yes! And Kallen's been visiting her as often as she could" Euphie replied.

"Euphie, Nunnally I have to go now, but I will talk to you again" Lelouch replied and hanged up the phone.

His mind started to process the information, Kallen's mother was Japanese and a refrain victim, giving her ample reasons to hate the Empire, that combined with the fact that she was for long periods of time away from school and she was red headed made her a prime suspect for the true identity of 'Lady Devil'.

"Could she have been so close to me all this time and I not notice it?" Lelouch asked himself, but his train of thoughts was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Come in" he said and once more jumped up from his seat upon seeing who was at the door.

"Brother Odysseus!" Lelouch said startled

"Hello Lelouch, I would like to talk to you" Odysseus said to him with a smile

**(Outside the city of Tokyo, a travelers stop)**

Jeremiah and Sayoko were returning to Tokyo from a session of shopping from the market of a nearby village, ever since that incident with the dumbbells Jeremiah had been accompanying Sayoko to assist her with the shopping, the reason they went outside of Tokyo is that the vegetables from the village markets where grown in back yards and were much tastier than those grown in industrial farms which were sold in supermarkets.

"I greatly appreciate your help these past few days Lord Jeremiah " Sayoko said.

"Doetashemashite." Jeremiah replied.

(No problem)

"Ah! That's correct I see those lessons I've been giving you are paying off!" Sayoko replied with a smile.

"Well I'm happy to oblige!" Jeremiah replied also with a smile.

"Well if you'll excuse me I have to visit the ladies room" Sayoko said and went to the bathroom.

A group of men who were also their saw that Sayoko went to the bathroom and followed her, Jeremiah noticed this and followed suit concerned for Sayoko.

At the entrance of the girls bathroom Sayoko noticed she was followed and she stopped and turned around.

"Do you gentleman have an issue with me?" she asked playfully.

"Well well well ! , so little miss whore to a brittannian actually is courteous enough to talk to us lowly numbers!" One of the men said to Sayoko.

"Look at her how she was smiling with that Brittannian swine, women like you should be hanged for that!" another said.

"Now now guys, maybe we are being too harsh on her….maybe she just needs a real Japanese man to remind her how good we are!" Another one of the men said mockingly at which the other laughed wholeheartedly, he then approached Sayoko and with his right arm he tried to caress her cheek only for Sayoko to catch his arm, twist it, dislodge his shoulder and with her remaining free arm she punched him in the face breaking his nose and making him fall back on the ground in front of her.

The others were startled by this; they did not think such a delicate looking woman had so much strength, the same thing could be said for Jeremiah who was lurking around the corner; he saw that the men were going to assault her and went to lend a helping hand, but now he wasn't sure which side to help.

"You whore!" a second man lunged at her, he tried to punch her in the face but Sayoko caught his arm, twisted it behind his back, dislodged his shoulder and hit him with a karate chop at the back of his neck so hard that he fainted.

At this sight the remaining group of men immediately ran away shouting curses and swears the idiotic pair which attacked Sayoko quickly followed suit and ran away, Jeremiah quickly returned to where they were seated and pretended that he was waiting for Sayoko.

She appeared a few moments after.

"Sorry it took so long, I had some stains to remove from my dress" she replied innocently with a smile.

"_Probably blood stains"_ Jeremiah said to himself and they then entered Jeremiah car and he began to drive them back to Tokyo.

"_She looks like a butterfly but she stings like a bee! I think I'm in love!"_Jeremiah said to himself, and after they arrived back at Ashford he started talking.

"I am afraid I won't be able to accompany you anymore" Jeremiah said

"Why is that?" Sayoko said her voice filled with a mixture of shock and disappointment.

"The Prince has ordered me back to Kyushu, I have a feeling the 42nd going to see combat soon, we'll probably be shift to Asia Minor to help Lady Cornelia with the Eastern Federation and the E.U." Jeremiah replied a tone of sadness in his voice.

"When will you be back?" she asked concerned and saddened.

"I don't know, maybe I won't come back at all" Jeremiah answered.

At this Sayoko leaned forward gave him a peck on the cheek "For good luck" she said and then exited the car and carried the groceries to the kitchen.

Jeremiah remained there frozen in shock, he covered the place where Sayoko had kissed him with his arm, he had been with dozens of women, and he was quite experienced in matters of kissing and sex.

"_This has been the first time since my first girlfriend that I blush from a peck on the cheek! Maybe I really am in love"_ he said to himself and continued to remain so frozen for who knows how much time, until he remembered he had to ne in Kyushu and started driving towards the army's airfield.

**(Lelouch office, mobile command center)**

"Well brother what is it you want to talk to me about?" Lelouch asked curious.

"We'll I heard that you have a shortage of officers in your artillery core, is that correct?" Odysseus asked with a smile.

"That's correct, so what of it?" Lelouch asked again.

At this Odysseus got up saluted and said.

"Captain Odysseus di Brittannia request permission to join your command general"

Lelouch was once again shocked this day.

"Why would you want to serve under me? With your rank you could take command of a whole army or even a whole front!" Lelouch replied.

"Because I…I can't lead an army…like you I am a West Pointer, and after graduation I was assigned to command an artillery battery during the Invasion of Japan, not to brag but I did a good job" he paused and then sat down, the weight of what he was about to confess was bearing down on him.

"After that my duty as first prince forced me to leave the army and enter politics, and quite frankly I am no good at it, anything I done up until now has either been a failure or mediocre at best…..i simply don't have what it takes as a politician, also as time went by I noticed that there was no code of friendship or honor within politics like there was in the army….no 'you watch my back, I watch yours'….and when I heard that you needed artillery officers I…I (he paused closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath to calm himself) I remembered what it felt like back then, when I actually did something I was good at,…..I realized that back then when I commanded that battery was the one period in my life when I was the happiest…and I thought I could returned to it.

Odysseus then looked at Lelouch straight in the eyes, a desperate look was present in them and with a tone which revolved around the words begging and pleading said.

"Please Lelouch, you're the only one who has a lack of artillery commanders at the moment, you don't have to make me a general or something, you don't even have to give me a battery, if you give me one cannon to command I will be satisfied"

Lelouch saw the mixture of emotions he was going through and knew that Odysseus knew that he was in a place where he was considered useless, a simple sore thump sticking out, he himself had felt like that many times before, he continued to remain silent for a while until Odysseus broke the silence.

"I see…..I am sorry to have interrupted you" Odysseus then walked towards the door only to be stopped by Lelouch words , who said:

"If I would give you a commission in my army, you would be taking orders from me and my lieutenants, would that bother you?"

Odysseus stopped turned around and with a warm smile said"

"Not at all! Actually I'm the type of soldier who receives orders not gives them, I actually prefer not having the burden of command"

"I have an opening for a Colonel who is to be my chief of artillery, would that suffice?"

At this statement Odysseus with a broad smile he said.

"Suffice! That's more than I could ever hope for! Thank you Lelouch, I mean thank you sir, I won't let you down General!" he then saluted and left to see his artillery pieces.

Lelouch himself was still processing what had just happened, he now had Patton, Odysseus and Omar in his army.

"There's a sentence I never thought I'd hear" he said to himself, he then remembered that he had suspicions about Kallen and left to board the fastest flight back to Tokyo to confirm his suspicions.

**(Governor's palace, military research facility)**

Lloyd and Cecile were going over the data they gathered from doing a radiation sweep at Ashford Academy as Prince Lelouch requested; the radiation wave they picked up was like nothing they have ever seen before.

"Have you ever seen anything like this?" Cecile asked concerned.

"No! And I know every elements radiation emission like a priest knows the bible, I have to say at the moment we have sailed of the map and into the blank spots!" Lloyd replied and it wasn't that much of an exaggeration.

"Prince Lelouch after being informed of the radiation wave immediately ordered me to build him a machine which could cancel its effects like the positive side of a magnet cancels it's negative side, for whatever reason I don't know, but he said to put all other projects on hold including that knightmare he commissioned" Lloyd said towards Cecile.

While Lloyd had completed the guns and sword and he created the six Lancelots that Lelouch had commissioned, the only part of the Knightmare he finished was its frame, when building a custom knightmare; you take a Ganymede frame and upgrade it, he had finished it's body, but the custom features he had to make from scratch and that was the reason he told Zero it would take months to complete.

"What could possibly be so great that it would frighten the 'Iron Prince' so much?"Cecile asked she herself a little scared.

"Who knows? All I know is that if it's big enough to scare him, then I'd better make that counter device as soon as possible" Lloyd said and began designing the device.

"You said that we are sailing into the unknown, when the sailors of old would do they would either discover great riches or great horrors…what do you think we will discover?" Cecile asked concerned.

"I don't know…" Lloyd said at for one of the rarest times in his life he didn't make any silly joke or act childish, he knew that ahead they'd be monsters.

(**Stadfelt manner)**

It was now late in the evening and the sun was setting

Kallen was now lying on her bed, she was absolutely exhausted from her double life as Kallen Stadfelt and Kouzuki Kallen, she was about ready to go to sleep when a knock was heard at her room's door.

" Kallen a young gentleman wishes to see you, a Duke Lamperouge if I heard correctly" her stepmother said to her.'

"_Lelouch? What's he doing here"_ Kallen said to herself and quickly ran out the door towards the entrance.

Once she got there she without knowing it tidied herself up and opened the door.

"Hey Lelouch! What's with you at this hour" Kallen asked a bit nervous.

"Well there's a new restaurant opening and I have been invited to it, would you like to accompany me?" he asked with his usual smile which made girls weak at the knees.

Kallen was tired and mentally said to herself to refuse, but for some reason the (his good looks, and smile being among them) decided to give the following answer.

"Sure, let's go" Kallen said and they walked towards Lelouch's car.

As they started towards the restaurant, Lelouch noticed that there was a full moon above the night sky, with no clouds present it gave the night an eerie pale atmosphere.

"_Guess it's time to dance with the devil in the pale moon light"_ he said to himself and continued to drive towards the restaurant

**Authors note**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue or if I just jumped the shark**


	16. Phase XVI: Shikinejima

Phase XVI: Shikinejima.

(**Lelouch's apartment)**

It was now early morning and Lelouch was lying naked in bed, he had done this often when he got up to early, a habit he had courtesy of his time at West Point, but what was different this time was the fact that besides him a naked Kallen was lying also, she was sleeping soundly from exhaustion since they had just spent the night making love.

Last night after they arrived at the restaurant, which was one of five stars and ordered their meal Lelouch asked Kallen to dance with him, during the dance he inspected her muscles, her body mass and hair color , length and density and concluded that there was now a 95% change she was Lady Devil.

But while he did this Kallen herself fell under a spell, the restaurant, the music, the food, and the company made her feel like she was in ninth heaven.

And before Lelouch realized it she gave him a kiss and another and another, Kallen with her body strength easily overpowered him and while his policy was to avoid getting involved with a woman, he realized that if they become romantically involve he could use that to his advantage, if she couldn't meet with him it meant that she was with the resistance, and it would give him a insight on their operations, so he decided the benefits would outweigh the disadvantages of such a relationship and her return the kisses with all his passion, the next thing he knew they were in his bed having passionate sex, he off course used protection since Cornelia made sure he was fully informed in matters of sexual relations.

After last night he now realize why great men lied, killed and even went to war for a woman, his train of thought was interrupted when his Blackberry started beeping reminding him he had a military base to inspect this afternoon, so he got up and started dressing himself.

"Where are you going?" Kallen asked half awake, the Blackberry beeping had awakened her.

"There are maters with the Phoenix Fund which require my attention, I'll be gone for most of the day, but I will call you as soon as I get back" Lelouch replied and gave her a kiss.

"Also would you mind if we kept this a secret from Shirley and the others? I'm a little shy when it comes to things like this" Lelouch said lying through his teeth.

"Sure, no problem" Kallen said while smiling as she watch him dress and leave.

She then happily turned over and gazed at the ceiling, she never knew that having a boyfriend could make a person so happy, up until now the only boys she met were either from the resistance group or stuck up brittannians who treated Japanese like dirt, but Lelouch he was different, he not only cared about the numbers but also fought for their rights, it's no wonder she had ended up in bed with him.

Just then her cell phone rang signaling a text message, she saw that she was being summoned for an operation and she quickly left.

"**(Governors palace)**

"I do not like your appointing of Kururugi as a number, but it is a prerogative of royalty so I have no power over it" Cornelia said to Euphie over the computer screen.

"Although Suzaku may be an honorary brittannian he has proven himself in battle and…."Euphie said but was cut off.

"Sub-Viceroy it is our policy to separate ourselves from the numbers!"Cornelia said loudly.

"Then I will change that policy!"Euphemia said determined.

"Ugh!..In order to do that you'd have to be the queen!"Cornelia replied.

**(Sword of Akasha)**

"You sure have the misfortune of having such talented and troublesome offspring's Charles" V.V said to his little brother.

"I wouldn't exactly say they are troublesome, rather they are too efficient" Charles replied.

"Lelouch progress in particular is alarmingly fast, at the rate he is going, combined with Schneizell and Cornelia I'd say they be able to conquer the world in lest then a year." V.V replied.

"That was after all the reason for making a contract with that Kusakabe fellow wasn't it?"Charles asked with a chuckle.

"You don't sound to concern for your son, despite the fact that I just gave his enemy superpowers, why is that anyway?" V.V asked curious.

"That boy is the product of my blood and that of my dear Marianne, that clown Kusakabe will barely slow him down, but it will slow him down just long enough for the Ragnarok Connection to happen" Charles replied with a smile.

"You know the way you speak of Lelouch, it's like your Phillip of Macedon speaking about his son Alexander the Great, you sure are immature Charles!" V.V replied.

"Is that so? Guess your right big brother" Charles replied.

**(Slayers submarine)**

"Things sure have changed fast; a few months ago we had trouble getting a bike, to think we now have a submarine! Just how did that Laksharta woman get all this?" Inoue said to herself out loud while she was on look out duty.

Meanwhile in the command deck Kaguya was explaining the reorganization of the Slayers, Kirihara Taizo was watching as well from a video transmission.

The basic hierarchy was the following, Ohgi was the official leader, but the real leader of the organization was Kaguya, her managerial and oratory skills made her a necessity to the slayers, command of the military branch would fall to Todoh, the Shiseiken and the original members of the Slayers would be squad leaders and Laksharta would be in charge of the R& D branch.

"And now I will inform you off our latest objective" Kaguya said and the map of Shikinejima appeared on the screen.

"Princess Euphemia, Prince Lelouch and Kururugi Suzaku will be performing an inspection of the island of Shikinejima this afternoon; our Intel reports that an important nobleman will be arriving from the mainland!" Kaguya told them.

"What of Kururugi-kun?" Todoh asked.

"We will capture him and the Lancelot, Leave Kururugi to me, I will convince him to join us" Kaguya replied.

A breath of relief was heard from both Kallen and Todoh.

**(Shikinejima island)**

The ship which was carrying Lelouch and the rest of his party was now preparing to dock.

"What is the reason for coming to this island?" Cecile asked curious.

"General Lelouch said that we had to scout it since an important nobleman will be coming from the mainland" Suzaku responded.

"We will also be seeing just how hard it will be to take it back" Lloyd replied as he bent slightly over and looked out the window.

"What do you mean?" Cecile asked curious.

"Well isn't it obvious, the base hear is essentially one big border guard house, if the Chinese want to invade they'll have to first take this base before they land on Kyushu or Honshu or wherever " Lloyd replied.

"But if this base is likely the first to be attacked, why don't we fortify it?" Suzaku asked concerned.

"Because it's not feasible such a defense" Lelouch voice was heard from the door way and he entered the room.

"In order to defend it we would need to deploy a substantial amount of troops here, how do we feed them? Give them ammunition? Medicine or even fuel for their fires? The answer is we can't, we have to either supply them by sea or air, which would mean we would have over stretched supply lines, while the Chinese would have shorter ones, and we would also need to take a significant amount of planes and ships from other theaters of war where they are desperately needed, we would weaken our other fronts, put our troops on a island with no way of retreat if the battle is lost and would throw away lives needlessly, tell me something is a piece of dirt in the middle of the pacific really worth all that?" Lelouch finished and the implications of these thinks sunk into Suzaku head and it was the reason why Lelouch was the general and not Suzaku.

"But what about the men stationed on the base? Won't they die if the Chinese invade? Should we just abandon them?" Suzaku asked Lelouch .

"Those men are soldiers, like you and me the moment they enlisted in the army they enlisted to fight and if necessary die for 50.000 pounds a years, I know that you don't like seeing the dozens of men stationed her die, but remember that without them we wouldn't have an early warning for the Chinese attacks, we couldn't deploy the troops to defend the landing zones or to concentrate the armies fast enough to respond to the threat and instead of tens of men dying, tens of thousands of men would die simply needlessly simply because we didn't get the head's up" Lelouch replied and that silenced Suzaku.

"I….I understand….in war you must choose the lesser of two evils" Suzaku hesitantly and angrily said and he tighten his arms into a fist, he was angry at Lelouch for his kill one man to save a hundred ideology, but at the same time he envied him for being able to do such a thing, he knew that with Lelouch blood spilled in battles would be to a minimum.

He knew that he himself would choose to evacuate the soldier on the island and leave them blind and vulnerable on the mainland, he knew that if put in command he could never make that kind of decision to let one man die so a hundred may live, but Lelouch could do that without a moment's hesitation, he hated him for that, but also adored him for that, a mixture of attraction and repulse, of friendship and rivalry which had made them inseparable friends, and perfectly synchronized brothers in arms.

"I know you don't like it Suzaku, but war is hell, we can't change the fact that sometimes we need to do evil, but take solace in the fact that what we do is necessary and there is no way out of it" Lelouch said and placed a comforting hand on Suzaku shoulder, this greatly appeased Suzaku, and he immediately calmed down.

Lloyd himself was amazed at the Prince's oratory and debate abilities "_He could make a lawyer tell the truth if he put his mind to it, I'm sure of it!"_ Lloyd mentally said to himself.

Lelouch then placed his helmet on his head and said "Now all of you prepare to disembark, we will be docking soon!" and they all replied in kind by going with him to the unloading area of the ship.

(**Slayers submarine, Laksharta's research center)**

"So this is the area?" Raksharta said as she looked at a map of the island.

"Will it go well?" one of her assistance asked.

"It should be fine. The stealth generated as a byproduct still seems to be operational." Laksharta replied.

"How do you know that?" her assistant asked.

"Well, Brittannia hasn't discovered us, right?" Rakshata replied.

"Ah, then…." He replied.

"This is just the first step though." Rakshata said and she continued to trail on about her inventions practicable uses.

Meanwhile on the ledge above them Kallen was sitting there and looking at a picture of Lelouch and herself which was taken last night by the restaurant's photographer.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Kaguya asked curiously while peaking over Kallen's shoulder.

"Ka….Kaguya-sama!" Kallen said and jerked up to attention.

"Ara don't be so formal, it's just use girls now, so it's safe to gossip!" She said with a Cheshire cat smile, and Kallen could swear she saw a pair of ears pop up from Kaguya's head for a moment.

"So anyway is that person your boyfriend?" she asked again curiously.

"Yes, he's the manager of the Phoenix Fund, so despite being Brittannian he is a good man" Kallen said as she handed Kaguya the picture.

Kaguya immediately recognized that the man in the picture was Lelouch and in response to this revelation she gave Kallen the following answer.

"Congratulations then, but Kallen-san remember that in Brittannian society polygamy is legal" and quickly left leaving an embarrassed and confused Kallen to prepare for combat.

(**Shikinejima port)**

"The arrival time will remain as planned" the officer responsible for their reception informed Lelouch, Euphie, Cecile and Lloyd.

"Headquarters has already prepared a room to rest in, what should we do next?" the officer asked.

"I heard that the boat will be docking here" Euphemia replied.

"Yes that hasn't been changed" he replied.

"Then let's wait" Euphie said with a smile on her face thinking that she could spend time with Suzaku on the beach before Schneizell arrives.

"Understood ! The one in charge of security is…." The officer's sentence was interrupted by a sudden radio transmission.

Back at the airbase the place was being bombarded by mortar from all directions.

"Terrorists ? How did they get here?" the base commander said in shock as he watched smoke rising from the damaged buildings.

Outside one of the base's helicopters rode out to face the enemy, only to be hit by Todoh's blade mounted Slash harken, following this Team One advance forward attacking the main base's defenses.

"Team one continue your advance forward. Team Slayers (which was Kallen squadron) will provide cover from behind Team One." Todoh ordered over the radio.

"Damn you, Elevens" one knightmare pilot said as he charged Team one while firing his machinegun. Only for Kallen to knock his rifle with her left arm and then destroy his knightmare with her right radiation arm.

"That girl is unexpectedly good." Asahina said as he passed her on his way forward to eliminate the remaining enemy.

Above a hilltop overlooking the battlefield Kaguya was sitting in a knightmare and following the battle below.

"As expected from Todoh shogun. He defeated the Brittannian army before without any knightmares. All that is left is to get this information to Lelouch and Euphemia…" Kaguya said to herself.

Meanwhile back at the docks.

"Headquarters seems to be under attack" one officer informed those present.

"Eh!" Euphemia gasped in shock.

"Let's go back to the settlement. Can you arrange for an escort?" Cecile asked concerned.

"Going back might be more dangerous. Communications jamming seems to be going on around this area" the officer replied.

"We will do no such thing!" Lelouch loudly proclaimed which cause everyone present to turn towards him.

"Suzaku and I will head out in the Lancelot and my Sutherland."

"Listen up, we can no longer let Todoh roam free as he pleases, we must remind him of the power of the Black knights here and now!" Lelouch proclaimed.

"Understood!" Suzaku said and then turned towards Euphemia.

"Please don't worry. I will protect Lelouch with everything I have Euphemia –sama!" Suzaku said towards Euphie with a very determined tone in his voice.

"Very well! Both of you are to help the base and return safely do you understand?" Euphemia ordered using her best authoritarian tone she could muster.

"Vice-Governor, General, he is an honorary Brittannian. Changes are high that the enemy is 'The Slayers' If the Lancelot defects then…." The officer protested, Lelouch was about to put him in his place when Lloyd beat him to the punch.

"Erm…do you know what you're saying? You are criticizing royalty!" Lloyd replied which made the officer jump back in realization in what he just done.

"No….that wasn't my intention.." the officer replied frighten.

"Well then next time think before opening your mouth!" Lelouch shouted towards the officer which made him bow his head apologetically.

"Commander Zero, you will take command and defeat the enemy.

Kururugi Suzaku, you shall demonstrate your capabilities here. By doing that, those criticisms will eventually disappear, right?" Euphemia ordered both men.

"Yes madam!"

"Yes madam!" both men said in unison

Back at the base Kallen fired a shot from her wrist mounted gun in her left arm, this disabled one of the two knightmare in front of her, the second fired a barrage of bullets at her, at which Kallen avoided through zig zaggind maneuvers, as soon as she got close enough she jumped high into the air.

"You're just the defense force!" she said as she landed on the enemy knightmare and destroyed it with her radiation wave arm.

"I will deal the final blow!" Tamaki proclaimed, but his knightmare was disabled by a slash harken, causing his cockpit to eject.

"Captain Tamaki!" the other members of his squad pronounced and started firing upon the Lancelot, only for they themselves to be disabled by a barrage of gun fire which came from the forest.

It was Lelouch who did that, and he emerged from his concealed position with a knightmare rifle in each arm.

"Bait and trap always works like charm, right Suzaku?" Lelouch said as he and Suzaku glued their back to each other.

"It always did work out fine at West Point! Glad to see you haven't lost your touch General!" Lelouch replied cheerfully.

Just then a barrage of fire came towards Lelouch Sutherland which Suzaku blocked with his hand mounted shield, both men now looked towards the heights where it came from.

"Suzaku, from monitoring enemy transmission I can say without a doubt that there is the Leader of the Slayers!" Lelouch replied.

"The Leader!...So he finally decided to show himself!" Suzaku replied.

"Come, charge towards me, Suzaku!" Kaguya said to herself from on top of the hill.

"Confirming the target. All units maintain formation three and retreat!"

"Don't do anything to the target"

"I repeat: Don't do anything to the target!" Todoh ordered while he backed up his knightmare with the rocket engines mounted in his sword.

Meanwhile back at the island base.

"Yes…All thanks to the special envoy….."

"But th-that is…"

"Yes, Your highness!" the base commander said in his phone and he fulfilled the orders he received,

Back on the beach Kaguya jumped into a prepared sandpit with Suzaku and Lelouch hot in pursuit.

"To actually jump onto sand without any special equipment on…" Suzaku asked Lelouch confused.

"Does he intend to get the Lancelot surrounded by using himself as bait?" Lelouch replied, he himself puzzled by what was happening.

"However !" Suzaku said over the speakers as he fired a slash harken in front of Kaguya Burai, forcing her to stop and turn, only for Lelouch to knock the gun out of her grip and Suzaku then jumped behind her and drew out his sword, trapping her between the two of them.

"Leader of the Slayers! With this!" Suzaku said

"The two of you!" Kaguya continued.

"Are captured!" Rakshata finished and she pressed the on button with her pipe.

Immediately the Gefjun Disturbers energy emitters emerged from beneath the sand and the Lancelot circuits shut down.

"What is this?" Suzaku asked as his display monitor and instruments began crashing.

He immediately tried to move his Lancelot but realized it was useless.

"I can't move" Suzaku said towards Lelouch.

"Neither can I!" Lelouch replied frantically as he himself was struggling to restart his knightmare.

"I have something to tell you Kururugi Suzaku! Do you and your comrade mind coming out?" Kaguya said and she exited the knightmare, she was wearing her usual red kimono, but her face was covered by a fox noh theatre mask, and her voice was scrambled, so even though you could tell she was a woman, you couldn't tell it was Kaguya's voice.

Around the Sandpit the remaining Slayers knightmares encircled it.

"Everything except for the first propulsion system should be still operational, I will be following international laws in terms to how to treat captives, if you and your comrade are not willing to listen, both of you will be shot from all four directions." Kaguya replied.

**Back at the Lancelot transport van.**

"It's all right! Tell Lelouch and Suzaku to go out!" Euphemia replied scared for the two men.

"More importantly, why is the Lancelot and the Sutherland not moving?" Euphie asked even more concern in her voice.

"Something is interfering with the reaction of the Sakuradite that is inside the knightmares propulsion systems." Cecile said as she looked over the data collected.

"Gefjun Disturber" Lloyd replied dismayed with of hint of shock in his voice.

"Could it be?" Cecile said shocked as she snapped her head towards Lloyd.

"But part of the cause is due to the jamming that is going on" Lloyd continued.

"_I thought that it would continue to exist only in theory….I was to careless, So it really is you, Rakshata" _Lloyd mentally scolded himself.

"The effective radius and operation time is still not ideal." Rakshata said as she fiddled with her pipe.

Both Suzaku and Lelouch now exited their knightmares.

Kaguya followed suit with a gun pointed at the both of them.

"I am surprised to see you here Prince Lelouch, I would have thought you would have remained at the docks where it was safe!" Kaguya said and she was genuinely surprised.

"If the king does not lead the charge, his knights will not follow, and I would prefer of you call me Zero" Lelouch replied with a voice which was filled with authority like he was the capturer and not the captured.

This made Kaguya admiration for the man grew more, but she quickly got to the point of her meeting with Suzaku.

"Kururugi Suzaku, I will be blunt. I want you to be one of my comrades." Kaguya told him.

"Is that a threat? Even so, I refuse. I said it before and I will say it again. It's worthless to achieve results using wrong methods, and that is what you people are doing!" Suzaku responded angrily.

"Then I ask you, is the peace we have is it worth it all?" Kaguya asked

"What do you mean?" Suzaku asked wearingly.

"What I mean is, despite you and Zero's efforts to improve the lives of the Japanese, the fact remains that we are still not masters off our own fate, no matter how comfortable, beneficent or profitable the presence of a foreign power is in our country, that fact remains we are not a nations, not a people, we are just servants, can you really call that a life, where no matter how much rank or how much skill you have, there will always be someone above you just because that person is a Brittannian and you are a number?" Kaguya replied and the truthfulness in her words made Suzaku lower his head in defeat, there was simply nothing he could say or do to counter that.

"Well what do you say? Will you join us and give Japan's the power to decide her fate back to her people" Kaguya said and extended her hand.

"You already had that change and you led your own people to disaster!" Lelouch suddenly shouted with a thunderous voice which caught Kaguya and those present off guard.

"W..what do you mean?" she asked hesitantly.

"Seven years ago your government decided to enter a war against the Empire, a war which was ordered by a group of all fat farted senators and bureaucrats, who wanted to make a name for themselves, and a land filled with millions of people is now paying for the mistake of a few hundred" Lelouch said as he maneuvered himself between Kaguya and Suzaku.

"That is not true! The reason for Japan being conquered was because you attacked!" Kaguya retorted.

"It is true, for I was there at the meeting room, and I recorded it all!" Lelouch said and he pulled a tape recorder from his pocket, and at this even the Slayers were all curious to know its contest, for the infamous last meeting between Genbu Kururugi and Schneizell was a mother myth.

"I was Schneizell protégé in terms of politics, and as part of my training he brought me to every diplomatic meeting he could, the standard procedure in a meeting like that was to record it for posterity.

Normally such a tape would only see the light of day in about fifty years since its creation but for you all I will make an exception.

After each meeting was over he would give me a copy of it so I could play it again and analyze it, this copy I have been carrying with me since that fateful day seven years ago, waiting for the right moment to show you followers of Genbu what really happened that day" Lelouch replied and he pressed the play button, the tape recorder had special powerful speakers which enabled even the Slayers in their knightmare to hear the tape.

"This meeting between the emissary of the Empire Schneizell bi Brittannia and the Japanese government now commences" The voice of Taizo Kirihara was heard.

"A pleasure to be here Prime minister, recently you have asked that we pay double the amount of the market price for Sakuradite is that right?" Schneizell asked calmly.

"Yes that is correct!" Genbu Kururugi replied.

"We agree to those terms and would like to know when the first transport can be sent to the mainland?" Schneizell replied.

This cause a round of gasps and murmurs from the Japanese representatives, and they started talking among themselves, and after a minute they gave their reply.

"I am afraid that the price is now three times the market value" Genbu replied.

"Agreed, we will pay three times its value, so I ask you again when can you send the first transport?" Schneizell replied

"Geh!" Kururugi Genbu gasped in shock at the fact that he said yes to such harsh demands.

"We also want the exploitation and taxation rights to the Bering Strait!" Sawasaki suddenly blurted out.

"Agreed, so for the third time in a row I ask you when can we expect the first transport?" Schneizell replied unfazed.

This shocked those present, those demands where outrages, any other diplomat would leave outraged, but this was not any other diplomat, this was Schneizell the 'White Prince' and it took more than that just to surprise him, let alone shock him, or outrage him.

"I can see that you are wondering why I am agreeing so easily, let me explain why" he paused an took a sip of water.

"Brittannia is a rich country, we are not greedy, we are not savage, despite what people say about us, and my intention is to resolve this political crisis and avoid war, and with such terms :three times the Sakuradite market price and the rights to the Bering Strait your people and country would surely prosper, so do we have a deal?" Schneizell asked calmly.

At this third answer Genbu and the others once again started another round of murmuring and talking among themselves, until finally they came to a resolution.

"We will have a deal, if you agree to one more term" Genbu replied.

"And that would be?" Schneizell asked curiously.

"We want Hawaii to be given to us!" Genbu replied with an authoritarian tone in his voice.

"I am afraid that is asking too much" Schneizell unfazed by this replied.

"Then we have no deal!" Genbu Kururugi said firmly.

"Prime minister and honorable representatives of Japan, I have seen your country, it is beautiful, I have seen your cities, they are magnificent, and I have seen your people, they live happy and prosperous lives, we have agreed to an unequal treaty on our part in hopes to avoid a war and if you do not agree to it then the country, the cities and the people will all be subjected to the hell on earth called war, I myself have a great distaste for war and would like to avoid it."

"So I ask you will you not reconsider your decision, accept the treaty which is so beneficial to you, with the exception of Hawaii and spare this land war?" Schneizell said and he was sincere in his short monologue.

"I am afraid we refuse, if you cannot meet our demands then we will have war!" Genbu Kururugi said determined.

The other members of the government all loudly agreed with his statement.

"Then may God help us both!" Schneizell replied a great sadness in his voice since he failed to prevent a war.

"May your God help you Brittannian, for our God will deliver us victory!" Sawasaki boasted and laughed and then the tape ended.

I…Impossible!" Todoh said out loud which was heard over the speakers.

"Our own government is responsible for the invasion!" Kallen also said out loud equally as appalled, everyone present was equally shocked to the core, even Chiba who was a staunch anti-brittannian was in disbelief over what she just heard.

"As you can see, 'w savage Brittannians' forsake our pride, accepted an unequal treaty, did everything in our power to prevent war and offered you and olive branch, and you're 'civilized' Japanese government took the olive branch and snapped in two!" Lelouch said which shook the Slayers even more to the core; the truthfulness in his words was like a bullet to the heart.

"You dare call Suzaku here a traitor, but his only sin was that he is repenting for his father's mistakes and trying to give the Japanese their lives back without bloodshed, of which this nation has seen too much of it" This brought Suzaku back from his tormented mind state and he looked at his friend with admiration and appreciation for him.

"The only traitors to the Japanese people are you!" Lelouch said and pointed towards Kaguya and Todoh and Kallen who were behind her, which made both of them jump back in shock.

"You! Who are followers of Genbu, who want to return Japan to how it was before the war, a power hungry nation, who no matter how much compromise it is given, no matter how much power it has, it still craves for more, without regard to the consequences it may have upon it's people!"

"A MONSTER SO GREAT AND GREEDY AND HORIBLE, THAT IT MAKE'S US LOOK LIKE ANGELS OF MERCY!" he shouted the last part and by now everyone present was in a mental state of desperation and disbelief, there whole system of thought which said 'we are good, Brittannian is bad' was completely shattered, even Chiba was affected like that.

Lelouch then turned towards Suzaku, made a hand sign, put his arms on Suzaku's shoulders and said:

"Suzaku, my friend and brother in arms, I ask you what can be done in this situation?"

Suzaku was silent, but from the hand sign he knew what Lelouch was planning.

So he smiled and said:

"Can we retreat?"

"No"

"Can we maneuver?"

"No"

"Then the only thing left to do is…." Suzaku said and he grabbed Lelouch arms, smiled a devilish smile, one which you expect to see on Lelouch's face and then slammed Lelouch in Kaguya's direction making her drop her handgun, after Lelouch landed he was still holding Suzaku hands, and he slammed Suzaku into Kaguya's direction, Suzaku immediately caught her arm, twisted it and put his left arm around her, trapping her.

Lelouch immediately followed suit and grabbed her handgun, he then aimed it at the surrounding knightmares.

"If anyone tries something stupid I will order Major Suzaku to kill your leader!" Lelouch shouted towards the Slayers, which snapped them out of their daze.

"Those bastards!" Kallen said, angry that the person who helped them and turned them into an army had fallen in enemy hands.

"Don't move, if you get caught in the field your machine will stop" Todoh quickly told her.

"But….." Kallen said dismayed at the scene before her

Lelouch then took on the roll of Kaguya's hostage keeper, from Suzaku and said to him:

"Suzaku get inside the Lancelots cockpit, they can't maintain the field forever and when it drops you can chop these bastards to bits!"

"But what about you?" He asked concerned.

"Don't worry they won't dare try to hurt me when I have their leader as a human shield!" Lelouch replied and Suzaku quickly got back in the Lancelot.

Just then a radio transmission was heard from the base, Suzaku picked it up and it immediately shocked him.

"General! Colonel Harris just ordered me to keep the leader of the Slayers here and they're going to bombard the area !" he said through his radio to his friend.

"What did you say!" Lelouch replied and quickly activated the radio in his helmet and contacted the base.

"This is Major General Lelouch vi Brittannia, I order you to cancel that order!"

"I am afraid my lord that it is a level one order, and it takes three persons of the rank of general to annul it" Colonel Harris replied.

Lelouch was shocked at how the events had turned out.

Back at Euphemia's position, she had hijacked a Portman and after hearing what was going on was racing towards Lelouch and Suzaku position.

"Suzaku, Lelouch, both of you can't die! I won't let any off you die!" she said to herself.

Back at Suzaku's position Todoh noticed missiles on the horizon.

"All units fire on the advancing missiles, it doesn't matter if you run out of ammunition, stop them at all costs!" he ordered and the Burai's and Gekkas obeyed

"Stop it, let her go! Suzaku it's me Kouzuki Kallen of the student council!" Kallen desperately shouted as she got out of her knightmare and ran towards Kaguya.

The missiles were now only a few moments away from impact, Euphemia was arriving at the location, V.V then activated his powers and amides this chaos and madness the only thing the prodigy Lelouch could do was say the following.

"Checkmate!" he said and closed his eyes and awaited for death to claim them all.

The missiles impacted, turning the sandpit into a field of smoke and confusion, and when the smoke cleared down it would be anybody's guess who survived and who didn't.

**Authors note.**

**Read and review let me know if I should continue**


	17. Phase XVII: Kamine Island

Phase XVII: Kamine Island

**(Shikinejima)**

The missiles impacted and smoke was covering the scene.

Todoh realizing that they couldn't stop the missiles ordered a retreat, but just when he thought things couldn't get any worse a shadow suddenly appeared covering the sky.

"The float system, guess I was beaten to the punch!" Rakshata said not bothering to look up since she knew what it was.

"What is that thing?" Todoh said confused and a little scared.

"That's big brother's Avalon!" Euphemia replied as she looked towards the sky.

Just then on Schneizell's orders the Avalon's cargo bay door opened, the Gawain took a few step forward and fired its Hadron cannons at the remaining slayers, albeit incomplete they were still devastating.

**(Kamine Island northern shore) **

Suzaku awoke on one of Kamine Islands beaches to the sound of waves and seagulls.

"Where's the Lancelot? "Suzaku said as he got up and surveyed his surroundings.

"Lelouch!" he suddenly realized he did not know his friends fate and immediately snapped out of his daze.

"This is bad…I can't remember anything." He said.

(**Kamine island southern shore)**

"This place is?…" Lelouch said as he confusedly scouted his surroundings.

**(Kamine island northern shore)**

"It's really another island."

"I lost my means of communication hen I lost my intercom."

"I think it's better to secure a water source first, to ensure that I can camp outdoors "Suzaku said and he started to explore the island, he saw a waterfall and headed towards it.

Once reaching the waterfall he saw that there was somebody there bathing under it.

"Kallen ? Don't tell me!" he whispered to himself, he then walked a few feet forward and shouted:

"Excuse me!".

"Suzaku!" Kallen said a bit disorientated upon seeing him, but after getting out of her daze she quickly grabbed her jacked which contain her wallet switchblade knife, and placed it in front of her

"That clothing…..from the Slayer organization!" Suzaku said astounded.

Using her jacked as concealment she unsheathed her switch blade knife and charged Suzaku with the intention of stabbing him.

"Is it….really you?" Suzaku said still astounded by the revelation as Kallen got ran closer and closer.

She slashed with her knife at Suzaku but he caught her by the wrist , sweep her leg and pinned her to the ground.

Suzaku then looked at her in anger and said:

"Kallen…..Kallen Stadfelt. You…".

"Don't call me using that name! I am Kouzuki Kallen. A Japanese! " she angrily shouted back

"Then you really are part of the Slayers?" Suzaku asked.

"I am a Captain in the Army of the Slayers. There's no need to hide that now" Kallen replied her vice was calmer, but still had a slight hint of anger within it.

"Then I shall capture you, Kouzuki Kallen, for the crime of rebelling against Brittannia!"Suzaku told her in the manner of a cop telling a criminal she had been arrested.

**(Kamine island southern shore)**

"_The vegetation and temperature are the same as Shikinejima's. It doesn't seem to be a faraway island"_ Lelouch mentally said to himself and started scouting his surroundings.

He then took a few steps when suddenly stopped on a small elevation and pondered what his next move should be.

"_It's going to be hard to get in touch with Euphemia and the others. I could radio for help, but there is a change the Slayers could pick it up and get to me first…."_ His thought were interrupted when he sensed he was not alone and turned his sight rightwards and saw that on the beach just a few feet from where he was standing was Kaguya only with her mask on.

(**Kamine island northern shore)**

Kallen was now dressed in her pilots uniform and was sitting crouched down and had her hands tied behind her back.

"I see! You don't know what happened either." Suzaku said as she covered Kallen with her jacket.

"You found yourself having drifted onto this island when you woke up. Is that right?" Suzaku asked.

"Humph, weren't you caught in the incident as well? You deserve it!"

"Once my comrades arrive, the one being held captive will be you" Kallen replied with a snicker.

"You think that Kitsune will come to save you?" Suzaku asked.

"Definitely!" she replied with the utmost confidence.

"Then can you tell me something before that happens?" Suzaku asked.

"What is her true identity?"

"You show me a picture of Zero's true face and then I will tell you" Kallen replied.

"I am afraid I don't have one on me" Suzaku replied.

"Then I guess we just sit here and wait for her to come and save me" Kallen replied snickering.

"What makes you think that Zero won't find us first?" Suzaku asked curious.

"These Princes are all the same, they send their subordinates to die while they stay comfy, safe and cozy behind and they claim all the glory for their merits, why should Zero be any different?" Kallen replied.

"He is different! I have known him and we have been friends since we were children, and even besides that he and I were classmates at West Point, and soldiers who train together there form bonds that last a lifetime!" Suzaku replied.

"You speak like you ready to die for him?" Kallen said accusingly.

"Why shouldn't I , he'd do the same for me, and he didn't stay comfy, safe and cozy away from the battle, but just now he fought side by side with me on the front lines, also we have been in combat many times before this and I saw him risk his own live to save allied soldiers, so why shouldn't I be willing to die for such a commander and comrade?" Suzaku replied reverently defending his friend.

At this all Kallen could do was remain silent and turn her gaze in another direction, the thought of a chivalrous Brittannian prince angered her greatly.

(**Kamine island southern shore)**

Upon seeing that the enemy leader was there Lelouch pulled out the handgun which he stole from her and aimed it at her, she then did something that shocked him completely, she removed her mask only to reveal the face of Kaguya Sumeragi, another person he befriended during the brief peace and happiness he experienced seven years ago.

"Lelouch….You are the same Lelouch from seven years ago aren't you?" Kaguya asked curiously.

"Ugh!" Lelouch gasped at what she just said.

"You can pull the trigger if you want to, but before that I want to see your face one last time!" Kaguya said in a manner in which a child wanted to swim at the beach one last time before her holiday vacation would be over and she had to go back to school.

He hesitated at first, complied and lowered his gun and took his mask slowly and hesitantly but surely off.

At the sight of his face Kaguya smiled her usual smile which had the power to make an angry hurricane stop it's destructive path, and Lelouch lost all thought of killing her and simply put the gun down and smiled.

(**Shikinejima island)**

"The search team is moving from section D to section F….. The other teams are….." the members of the search party said among themselves.

"Find them! Find my brother and my knight! Don't stop until you do!" Euphie said vary worried and scared about their fate.

"Ah…..I didn't expect a floating battleship." Lloyd said amazed from the cargo bay of the Avalon.

"I remember saying that I needed data before we make the actual thing right?" he said towards Schneizell who was emerging from the shadows.

"Everyone is interested in the things you make. That is why it was activated" Schneizell replied.

"Even the Hadron Cannon ?" Lloyd asked.

"I have to test it first." Schneizell said and raised his head towards Cecile who was standing on the Lancelot.

"I wanted to meet you at least once, Cecile Croomy-san, I am….." he said but was cut off be Cecile who completed his sentence.

"His Highness Prince Schneizell!"

Upon hearing this Bartley emerged from the shadows, ran towards Cecile and angrily said:

"Insolence ! Aren't you being rude by looking down on the second prince?"

"General Bartley!" she said and from the shock of his sudden appearance lost her balance and fell to he ground.

"Oh my!" Lloyd said concerned for his partner.

"Are you injured?" Schneizell asked as he extended a helping hand.

This caught Cecile completely off guard and she stared at him for a few moments in sheer awe from his gesture.

"I am Schneizell el Brittannia. Come take my hand" he said to her.

"Y-yes!" she hesitantly replied and did so.

Bartley himself was a little surprised at this scene and remain silent until Lloyd broke it with a question.

"General Bartley,it seems you've become very loyal to Prince Schneizell haven't you?"

"It's because His Highness has saved me, who should have been imprisoned beneath Tanboru Island." Bartley replied.

"There's no need for you to think in such a stubborn manner. This incident this time is all thanks to you .The same goes for the incident with Clovis. I should be the one thanking you" Schneizell replied.

"My…..My Master!" Bartley said in response.

"Bartley! With that excuse me, Miss Cecile" Schneizell relied and kissed Cecile's hand.

"Y-Your Highness!" Cecile said as she blushed from his gesture, Schneizell then started to walk away.

"Then you shall wait and the base" Lloyd said and he followed Schneizell.

"Where are you going?" Cecile asked curious.

"We have some business. Also, we are going to search for Suzaku and Prince Lelouch with this Avalon. They both are essential to the empire aren't they?".

"That's especially true after seeing their activity yesterday."Lloyd replied.

"Please wait!" Cecile said as a sudden realization came to her.

"The orders yesterday were from your Highness….."

"Know where you stand!" Bartley cut her off "You'll be committing 'lese majeste' if you continue!" he warned her.

"I did it Cecile-san. The Hadron Cannon too." Schneizell replied in a manner in which a guilty man confessed his crime.

"Prioritizing is important in that kind of situation. Also Lelouch and Suzaku could have been saved if some irregularities had been introduced in the equation. I was betting on them. Lelouch is a vital general of which this empire desperately needs, and while other people when in chaos would panic and collapse, he has the eerie ability of remaining calm and using the chaos to his advantage and Kururugi Suzaku, as Euphie's knight, Lelouch WestPoint Comrade and as an important pilot of Special Envoy. I know that they both would have survived, otherwise I wouldn't have ordered the bombardment." Schneizell replied.

"Y…Yes, I understand. Sorry for my insolence. I am willing to take any punishment." Cecile replied determined.

"Why would I? It is my fault for being unable to protect my subordinate and brother. I'm sorry" Schneizell replied in a very apologetic and repented voice and left, whether he truly meant it or not was a mystery to Cecile, he was after all a master politician and few men on this planet could read his poker face.

(**Kamine Island Southern shore)**

"When did you figure it out? Even if I also used my real name it could have been a ploy to disguise my identity?" Lelouch asked as he leaned against a rock with his back.

"I suspected it, but only now I confirmed it when you took off your mask" Kaguya replied on the other side of the rock, she was naked and she covered herself with Lelouch' cape and her close were laid out besides her to dry.

"I see! I was careless today, revealing my face so easily, you seem to have not lost your touch with words Kaguya" Lelouch replied.

"I guess I haven't.

"When did you become the leader of the Slayers?" Lelouch asked.

"After Narita and Katase suicide, they were desperate for leadership, Ohgi is a good man, but not so much of a leader, so I helped them with organizing and along the way I became the unofficial leader and Ohgi is my unofficial second" Kaguya replied

"Can I ask you something?" Kaguya said a serious tone in her voice.

"What is it?" Lelouch replied.

"Are you Zero…..or are you….." Kaguya was hesitant to continue.

"I am Lelouch, at this moment I am the same spoiled smartass prince you knew seven years ago!" Lelouch replied, and this answer caused Kaguya to smile cheerfully.

Just then a growl was heard from Kaguya's stomach which caused her to be embarrassed, just then Lelouch gave her a cheese sandwich which was in his pocket.

"If there's one thing I know about knightmare combat is that there is no lunch break, you make small sandwiches you can eat quickly when you can during combat to keep your strength up" Lelouch replied.

"Thank you very much, but don't you want some too? " Kaguya said as she took a small bite out of it.

"Don't worry about me, us West Pointers are trained to last without food for at least a week" Lelouch replied and that was fully true, if necessary he could survive a month on water alone, WestPoint's reputation of being the finest Military School in Brittannia wasn't just for show, their graduates really came out as either the best generals or the best knights, Lelouch and Suzaku were proof of that.

"I'm going to go hunt some animals, I'll be right back" he said and got up and picked up some rocks for ammunition, he didn't want to use the bullets which would be needed if Kaguya's troops would find him while he was hunting

"Will you be alright?" Kaguya asked concern

"Yes! I am trained in these kinds of things after all!" He replied.

"Well I will go and look for some berries then" She said and left, Lelouch didn't bother trying to stop her, something told her that it would be useless to do that.

(**Kamine Island northern shore)**

"Got you!" Suzaku proudly said as he caught what looked like a very big tuna fish.

"Eh…You're good at this!" Kallen said amazed as well.

"Want to give it a try? I'll release you if you promise to help get food" Suzaku asked sincerely.

"I won't fall for it if you're trying to win me over." Kallen replied indifferent.

"You sure are stubborn! Completely different from how you are in school!" Suzaku replied playfully.

(**Slayers submarine)**

Ohgi and Todoh and the rest of the commanding officers were all in the mess hall and were all keeping quiet since the Avalon was patrolling above.

"The enemy battleship went past us." A voice on the speakers said and they all could relax and breath out in relief.

"Damn it, a battleship that can stop in the air! What the heck is that!" Tamaki said exasperated.

Everyone was talking about the Avalon, I's appearance was a blessing in disguise for it gave them something to take their minds of Lelouch and what he just revealed to them on the beach.

"It's indeed dangerous to remain in this sea region. Let's retreat!" Todoh advised Ohgi.

"Ah….." Ohgi replied.

"But we have to stay here and search for Lady Kaguya and Kallen!" Tamaki replied.

"Indeed!" Ohgi replied concerned for the two women.

"But the current situation doesn't allow us to send a search team out. It's all thanks to Rakshata that we were able to hide here. In addition we are unable to confirm for sure that Kaguya and Kallen are still alive. The existence of the whole organization will be affected if we make a wrong move" Todoh replied.

"What are you saying Todoh-san, Kallen is our friend and top pilot, she's probably the only one who can stand up to that monster of a Lancelot, and Lady Kaguya is our leader and she is a member of the six families, if they are still alive and we don't rescue them we will lose our top pilot and the thrust of Kyoto, they might even stop our sponsorship" Tamaki said and the others in the room were momentarily shocked of the fact that he was being one of the two voices of reason of all people.

"I acknowledge their importance however we cannot risk the very existence of the Slayers to save them even if we don't know their alive" Todoh countered.

"They're both alive! "He said and got up on his feet the others in the room were stunned at his statement.

"Because Zero took her hostage and Kallen was a few feet away from him, and from our experience fighting against him we know that he has a talent for turning situations into his favor no matter how against him the odds may be, I don't know about you guys, but from my experience facing him I'd say if the world would end next week Prince Lelouch would somehow find a way to survive, that's just what kind of man he is!" Tamaki loudly said and the other shared some of his opinion.

They knew from personal experience that he was smart and very resourceful, but they knew Tamaki was exaggerating, but they also though that his statement regarding Zero being the only one smart enough to survive the end of days wasn't such a great exaggeration at all.

"In combat one must choose the lesser of two evils, should we risk the hope of Japan and the lives of hundreds, for only two?" Todoh said and he got up as well.

Ohgi realized that they were dangerously close to a fist fight and decided to intervene.

"Wait this is getting us nowhere! Anyway, let's do this for now. We will move to a safe sea region just outside of Britannia's surveillance range; We will wait till tomorrow and put all of our efforts into organizing a big search. Along with a time limit…." Ohgi replied and hope that would be acceptable.

"All right then" Todoh replied.

"There's no choice I guess" Tamaki said and both him and Todoh sat back down, and continued with their foods, a collective murmur then suddenly flooded the room.

Tamaki for one was still angry, he admired and followed Todoh without a moment's hesitation, but he disliked his Leave one man behind so a hundred military doctrines, he would never do such a thing.

Tamaki then remembered all of Zero action's since coming to light, he destroyed the Honey Comb, avoided a potential blood bath in Shinjuku by spilling his own blood, reformed the labor laws, created the Phoenix Fund, destroyed the Refrain Cartels and gave that Psycho Kusakabe a good spanking.

Those amazing feats combined with stories he heard over the months about him, off how he fights from the front lines, off how he lives by the motto off 'If the king doesn't lead his subordinates won't follow' and how he risked his own life to safe a soldier who was left behind in Siberia made him combined with the recent clash he had with Todoh very sympathetic and appealing in Tamaki's eyes, regardless or in spite of his heritage.

"_The Iron Prince doesn't abandon his subordinates; maybe I should have joined the Black Knights instead of 'the Slayers'"_ he mentally pondered for a moment, but it was only for a moment and he returned to his meal.

Todoh for his part was unfazed by Tamaki, he himself didn't like what he suggested, but as a veteran soldier he knew that it was a necessary evil, and it was not the first time someone disagreed with him, he was a professional and felt no ill will towards Tamaki.

(**Ashford Academy)**

C.C was with Nunnally they were eating snacks and making paper cranes.

"Brother has recently been leaving home for extended periods of time now" Nunnally said saddened at his absence.

"It can't be help, he is a general now and has a responsibility to his men to lead them" C.C replied trying to comfort her.

"Yes …but I still miss him…Also C.C …..I think that as Lelouch's…..M…..Mistress you should know…."Nunnally blushed heavily and prepared herself mentally for what she was about to say.

"L…..Last night brother spent it with Kallen-san" Nunnally said and awaited her response.

At this C.C only smiled and said:'

"Heeeee! So he makes his little sister worry about him and acts like a player, he really has been a naughty little boy!" C.C said and she them leaned forward, grabbed Nunnally hands with her own and mischievously said.

"Nunnally, why don't we punish your brother for his bad behaviors by messing up his room!"

"Eh? But brother would be angry if we did that!" she said a little concerned.

"So what, he deserves it! We must let him know that he can't act so irresponsibly!" she said towards Nunnally in a manner in which a devil tempts and angel to sin.

Nunnally hesitated a moment, but she then firmly squeezed C.C fist and with a determine voice said:

"Very well then, we must not allow brother to become a worthless human who only cares about lust, we must save him from himself, I am with you miss C.C; Let us save my brother by punishing him!" she said in a battle cry and raised her fist in the air.

"Very well then! You stay here, I'll go put these dirty cake dishes in the sink and then we can start " C.C said and she got up from the table and walked down the corridor towards the kitchen.

"God damn it, it's all because of your pranks that Nunnally was about to cry" C.C said out loud.

…..

"Kallen is on the island as well?"

…..

"What bad taste, pretending to be an observer."

Back at Kamine Island Lelouch and Kaguya were enjoying a feast of roasted seagulls, which Lelouch caught with the rock he collected on the beach.

Lelouch may not have been the fastest or the strongest an West Point, but to hell and damnation if he wasn't the best marksman in his class, give him a projectile and a target and he would hit it dead center, it was also the reason he received the dagger at his graduation, for a soldier marksmanship was the most important quality in a battle, which he always carried on himself and they used to skin the seagulls.

Suzaku and Kallen were also enjoying a feast of fish and various sea fruit Suzaku caught.

"Ah, I'm stuffed! I ate too much" Kallen exclaimed in satisfaction.

"Is the way you are now the real you?" Suzaku asked curiously while he munched on a fish skewered on a stick.

"Yes. Have a problem with that?"Kallen said indifferently.

"Nope! You're much more energetic and charming than when you're in school" Suzaku replied and this caught Kallen off guard and she blushed slightly and the complement.

Suzaku saw that and silently giggled his smile then disappeared and in serious tone he told Kallen:

"Kallen, leave the 'Slayers'. Right now, you can still…..The terrorist who get caught have tragic ends."

"So that's the reason for being so gentle all off a sudden? Unfortunately I'm the captain and one of the original members of the Slayer squadron; I have fought in a knightmare against you before" Kallen replied.

"That red one?"Suzaku asked.

"That's correct. Even if we perish together, I'll bring down your white armor one day" Kallen confidently replied.

"Kallen, your methods are the same ones my father used, there's no future in them!" Suzaku replied and arched his eye showing how strongly convicted he felt about these things.

"Then what about your future? Are you going to carry on living as a dog under the controlling system? Even if the invasion was our fault should we let things be as they are now? 'Honorary Brittannian?' 'The great Knight of the third princess?' 'A major within the Black Knights?' Ha!"

"The name of the last samurai Kururugi Genbu, is crying!" Kallen angrily spit back.

"I'm different. I'll show you that I can change this wrong world. Otherwise…..If I don't do that…..Brother won't rest in peace. That's why I'll fight. I'll do anything in order to win!" she added.

Suzaku looked down at the fire sad and disappointed and the hesitantly told Kallen the following.

"Kallen….I….killed my father"

"Eh?" Kallen said shocked at what she heard.

"My father didn't commit suicide…..I killed him…with these hands"

(**Kamine island southern shore)**

Lelouch and Kaguya had finished their meal and Kaguya was preparing to go to sleep, she noticed that Lelouch wasn't.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" she asked him.

"A little later, currently I'm not feeling sleepy" he told her, but in truth he wanted to make sure she fell asleep before him, it was common sense, since she could steel back the gun while he sleept.

"Tomorrow we will probably go back to being enemies aren't we?" Kaguya asked concerned.

"Probably…..But Kaguya….if we ever meet again on the battlefield and you hold back…then you and I aren't friends anymore!" Lelouch said.

"Eh?" Kaguya said taken aback by his words.

"You hear me? I want you to hit me with everything you got! If you don't we are not friends anymore, do you understand?" he asked her.

"Y….Yes! I understand!" she replied happily and went to bed "_Lelouch sure has a way to get to a woman's heart"_ she said to herself and fell asleep.

"Whoever leads the Slayers is the same as my father"

"Once they set their minds on something, they do it, despite whatever protest they may receive, and they do it regardless of how many rivers of blood and how many oceans of tears they cost." Suzaku replied.

(**Kamine island northern shore)**

"Are you saying that we should accept the current situation? You call that peace? Isn't there something more important than lives?" Kallen asked.

"I don't have any intention of giving up! But I know it. I know what will be left behind when you try to achieve results using the wrong methods; it's just a sense of loss and regret." Suzaku said as he stared sadly into the ground.

Kallen then leaned to the side and rested her head on her tucked away jacket.

"Then tell me. What is the meaning behind my brother's life?"Who is the one to judge what is right or wrong?"she sadly replied and then fell asleep.

"I struggle on desperately in order to search for a reason to live…I really am despicable" Suzaku whispered to himself, just then he noticed what appeared to be search lights on the clouds coming from the other side of the mountain.

On the position where the lights were coming Suzaku saw the Avalon had landed there.

"If Kururugi-kun and General Zero are still alive, they should have drifted to Kamine Island" Lloyd said to Schneizell who was seated to his left.

"We will send out a search party tomorrow morning" Schneizell replied.

"Understood!" Bartley responded.

"This is what you were talking about?" Schneizell asked curious.

"Yes. The Shinjuku incident happened when we were in the midst of excavating it." Bartley replied.

"Clovis was indeed more suited to do such things" Schneizell replied.

A few hours later the sun rose.

Suzaku and Kallen were making their way towards the area where he saw those lights.

"Hey did you really see a light last night?" Kallen asked Suzaku as she started to untie her hands.

"Yes it should be the search team" Lelouch replied towards Kaguya s they walked towards Suzaku and Kallen's direction without knowing it.

"I'll go and contact them and once we find Suzaku I will order them to withdraw back to Shikinejima; that should give your allies enough time to find you" he told Kaguya.

**(Geass ruins, beneath Kamine Island)**

"Thought elevator? I'm not good with archeology, especially of those things with 'super' in front of them" Lloyd replied as he gazed at the Geass door towards Akasha.

"Insolent! You are being rude!" Bartley said towards Lloyd.

"But it's just too different from my specialty. If I had know about this, I would have asked Cecile for help right from the start."Lloyd replied.

"Don't be so negative about it! Father seems to be obsessed with this kind of thing. Isn't that so Bartley?" Schneizell replied.

"Yes. We have found several similar items around the world. Other than this place that I discovered, the others have turned into forbidden areas. Although it's just my hypothesis, the attacks against the other countries could be just to secure this list of points!"Bartley replied.

"In order to understand this occult data, we are using the Gawain's Druid System?"

"It's still a prototype machine that hasn't even been calibrated" Lloyd said

"That's why I called you over!" Schneizell replied.

"Ah ha!" Lloyd squealed with joy.

**(Above Schneizell's position, top of the thought elevator)**

"I think it's this way but I'm not certain." Lelouch said to Kaguya.

"If the search party is near that means that we will have to go back to fighting each other doesn't it?" Kaguya replied ,a hint of sadness in her voice.

"It can't be helped…Today the vacation ends and we have to be back at work by tomorrow" he said jokingly, which made Kaguya laugh, she really appreciated his humor, and how he could make even the most dire situations bearable and even enjoyable.

Just then Lelouch heard footsteps and motioned for both of them too hide in the bush, he then put his mask on his head and his cape on his shoulders.

He then saw Kallen and Suzaku come out of the forest.

"Why are the two of them…?" Lelouch asked himself shocked.

"Suzaku!" Lelouch said out loud and then got up from his hidden position.

"General!" Suzaku said surprised.

Kaguya seeing the current situation decided to act, she quickly pulled Lelouch gun out from his holster, pointed at him and said: "Don't move, he is my hostage!"

"Lady Kaguya!" Kallen said amazed.

"Kaguya what are you doing?" Lelouch whispered to her.

"Just play along with me Lelouch !" she whispered back.

"_A guy being taken hostage by a girl, and from the way she's never held a gun before, let alone fired a shot…..how embarrassing!"_ Lelouch mentally scolded himself at his current predicament.

"KAGUYA!" Suzaku shouted angrily "So you're the leader of the Slayers!" Suzaku said and he angrily clenched his fists.

"Hello dear cousin, now if you please release my subordinate, we could do a hostage exchange!" she said and pointed her gun as treatingly as she could at Lelouch head, but to Lelouch the sight of the small Kaguya holding a big gun at him and acting bossy was….well hilarious! It was only the military discipline that he acquired at the academythat prevented him from laughing out loud.

It was then that Kallen moved her tied arms from behind her back, under her lags and in front of her and grabbed Suzaku from behind caching him in a bear hug.

"Hey there's no reason to get violent, this can all be solved without bloodshed!" Lelouch said towards Kallen hoping to defuse the situation.

"Shut up you fish bowl head!" Kallen shouted back

"Fish bowl head!" he said offended as he took a few steps forward until he and Kallen were face to face, Kaguya was following him with the gun still pointed at his head, but by now it so comical, you'd say it was out of on Austin Powers movie the whole situation.

"First of all it's a commanders helmet, which I designed myself, and second of all I don't understand why in heaven's name Duke Lamperouge would ever sleep with you!" Lelouch replied deciding to fight fire with fire and forgetting the consequence of revealing that little secret.

"EH!" Suzaku belted out confused and shocked at what he heard.

"H….How did you know about that?" Kallen said blushing a shade of red brighter than her hair, but before answers could be heard V.V activated his power which caused the platform to collapse and take them to Schneizell's pozition

"Major Kururugi and don't tell me….."Lloyd said in shock.

"Lelouch! And is that Lady Kaguya?" Schneizell said equally as surprised as Lloyd.

The soldiers present raised their rifles and prepared to fire but Bradley stooped them.

"Idiots! Don't fire, you could hit Prince Lelouch, capture them alive!" he ordered and the soldiers complied.

"Lady Kaguya, there's a knightmare here we can use!" Kallen said and Kaguya quickly hurried to commandeer it.

The soldiers present quickly split into two groups, one surrounded Lelouch in order to protect him and the other went after Kaguya and Kallen, and Kallen started fighting them of.

"Suzaku are you alright?" Lelouch asked his friend, and he was concerned over his well being, V.V power had affected him in some way.

Just then Lelouch's radio within his helmet picket up a transmission from the Avalon Radar Team, which made him shiver.

Kallen had stolen a rifle from one of the guards she had knocked down and was firing at the ground keeping the soldiers at bay, Kaguya meanwhile had gotten inside the knightmare and was activating it.

"_Can this frame really be the one in that project out spies on the mainland said Schneizell was working on?"_ Kaguya said mentally, but after the telemetry reading kicked in he was sure it was that knightmare.

"Kallen-san, quickly board this frame and let's escape!" Kaguya said and Kallen quickly complied and boarded it and Kaguya closed the cockpit and started moving it towards the exit.

"Stop that frame, we cannot let the Slayers steal it no matter what!" Bartley ordered his men.

Kaguya drove the Gawain outside the cave, and before them two knightmare appeared and tried to stop them.

"It's useless we are trapped!" Kallen said desperately.

"No! This frame has a special ability!" Kaguya replied and activated the float system.

"Eh? We….We're flying!" Kallen said amazed as they made their escape.

"Gawain!...Our Gawain has been stolen!" Bartley said desperately and shocked at what just happened.

"Never mind the Gawain, we have much bigger problems than that!" Lelouch said towards Bartley and Schneizell, Suzaku who had snapped out of his daze was behind him.

"What do you mean little brother?" Schneizell replied curiously.

"The radio embedded in my helmet just picked up a transmission from you're Avalon's radar crew…Chinese forces are now three miles from the Coast of Kamine Island…..Sawasaki's invasion of Japan has begun!" Lelouch replied a scared tone in his voice.

Schneizell was caught off guard by this, but he quickly snapped back to his senses and said:

"Understood, then let's all return to Tokyo and concentrate our army to repel them, Cornelia finished the remaining Eastern Federation Forces a few days ago, and she and her 8th army landed in Tokyo bay last night!" Schneizell replied.

"No….You go back to Tokyo, Suzaku and myself will head towards Kyushu and use the 42nd to delay them long enough for Cornelia to move her army from Honshu to Kyushu" Lelouch replied.

"Are you sure you want to fight an army with just one corps?" Schneizell asked, worried and also curious

"We must secure the northern beaches for Cornelia to be able to land in Kyushu, the fate of Japan and the fate of the Empire hangs in the balance, against this the life of one General and Major are insignificant!"Lelouch replied confidently and Suzaku shared his opinion, and vocally agreed with him.

And Schneizell couldn't do anything but agree with them and they all departed for the Avalon to leave the island.

As the Avalon took flight towards Japan, the army's of the Chinese Federation decorated with the flag of Japan descended upon Kamine Island, and Sawasaki's "Liberation Army" began its "fight for the freedom of the nation".

**Authors note**

**Read and review **

**Let me know if I should continue.**

**Also be prepared! This is what you fans have been waiting for , for the first time since I started this fic, Lelouch leads an army in the field, and here and now after three months of brutal commando training the 42****nd**** day for their baptism of fire has finally arrived.**


	18. Phase XVIII: Blackest Night Part I

Phase XVIII: Blackest Night Part I.

(**Kyushu Block, Saga Base)**

"We hereby declare the restoration of Japan as a legitimate, independently controlled country!"Sawasaki proclaimed on global television.

To his right Kusakabe was present with a wide grin on his face, behind them there was row after row of Gun- Rus and Panzer-Hummels, the scene presented to the world was more like a dictator coming to power then an army which comes to liberate a country.

**(Slayers military base)**

All of the executive committee members were gathered there and were watching the news which was broadcasting about Sawasaki.

"The leader of the group that occupied Fukuoka Base, Sawasaki Atushi, was the Chief Cabinet Secretary of the former Japan during the second term of the Kururugi Administration. He sought asylum in the Chinese Federation after the war. However, we think that he's making use of the internal unrest caused by 'The Slayers' to carry out this operation. We are now in the midst of investigating whether 'The Slayers' have anything to do with this operation. The incident at Kamine Island…." The news caster trailed off.

"They're not related!"Tamaki said out loud.

"What did Kyoto say?" Ohgi asked.

"It seems that they didn't know anything. Everything, including the acquisition of Sakuradite, was done arbitrarily." Minami replied.

"So the day has finally arrived!" Todoh said to those present

"Kaguya-sama what should we do?" Kallen asked concerned.

**(Skies above Fukuoka city, deck of the Avalon)**

"Sawasaki's group is cooperating with the terrorist cells within the Kyushu Block, after destroying the land traffic network that linked the Honshu block and Shikoku block, together with the E.U 6th army together with support from the Chinese Federation's Liaodong military district, have captured Saga and Nagasaki prefectures and are using them as bases of operations, the president of the E.U Philippe Pétain says that this is not a breaking of the ceasefire since there was no treaty and the war between the E.U and the Empire was never really over."

"According to General Tsao from the Chinese Federation, the presence of Chinese forces are only for providing humanitarian aid and are not against the Manila Convention" the news caster said on the TV which Lloyd viewed.

"Where is Suzaku-kun?" Lloyd asked Cecile who was coming up behind him.

"He's down bellow helping Zero with preparations for the battle" Cecile replied.

"Why do you think they decided to fortify this city and not continue retreating until Princess Cornelia arrives?" Cecile asked.

"The main highways and roads which leads to the northern beaches all go through Fukuoka, if the Sawasaki wants to win he has to take those beaches before Cornelia lands, and if he does it's going to be a bloodbath for our side" Lloyd replied, the reason he knew so much about strategy and tactics was that in his free time he played real time tactics games and he knew from those that in war the troop maneuvers and position of the opposing army could determine if a battle can be won or was lost before it even began for either sides.

"Erm….Where his highness Schneizell?"" Lloyd asked curious.

"He's at the Tokyo settlement" Cecile replied.

"Things never are easy aren't they! Although the master is not around we have to continue improving the Lancelot or we won't be able to counter the Gefjun Disturber". Lloyd replied.

"Also did you know Prince Lelouch took the swords ,guns ,Lancelots and that Counter radiation device I made for him, he even took the custom Knightmare he commissioned, even though its cannon and shield are not operational" Lloyd added.

"Why would he do something like that?" Cecile asked curiously.

"If we don't have powder or shot then we will fight with pikes and axes and my wooden army will stop the flood" Lloyd replied.

"Eh?" Cecile asked confused.

"It's something Field Marshall Wellington said when he faced Napoleon and his army in one battle, before the battle Wellington had few troops, supply's and even weapons, yet he was determined to hold the city of Liverpool long enough for the refugees to escape overseas to America" Lloyd replied.

"And what happened ?" Cecile asked a concern tone in her voice.

"Wellington won the battle, and the refugees managed to escape, ever since then the term 'wooden army' refers to a small force which is outgunned and outmanned but has a favorable position and a good leader and has a change to stop or at least delay a larger one" Lloyd replied.

"But ….didn't Wellington….."

"Yes...That's right …..Wellington died during that battle!" Lloyd replied while staring out the Avalon's window towards the west, were the enemy would appear from.

**(Fukuoka city, 42****nd**** mobile command center)**

Suzaku was holding in his arm his father's watch and thinking about what transpired between himself and Euphie just a few days ago.

"I… am not qualified to be your knight." Suzaku said to Euphie in her office as he handed her his knight insignia.

"Why?" Euphie asked confused.

"My recent performance in these past months has led me to realize I am not qualified for the position you gave me" Suzaku said his eyes targeted the floor in sadness.

"What do you mean? You're service has been exemplary!" Euphie said confused and panicking, thinking that Suzaku was blaming himself senselessly.

"Is my record really that good?...At Narita I got separated from Lelouch and he had to face that demon knightmare called Guren alone, during the prisoner transport I failed to stop the rescue of the Kawaguchi Terrorists, I also failed to recognize the fact that the Guren's pilot was my classmate Kallen and I failed to stop the terrorist leader from escaping not once but twice at Kamine and Shikinejima islands, and on top of that the leader of the 'Slayers' is my own cousin….so tell me Princess Euphemia….after hearing all this could you still say my service is exemplary?"Suzaku said, he then turned around walked towards the door, he opened it and said one last sentence towards Euphie before walking out.

"If every soldier followed my example we would have been defeated long ago" he then left the room leaving a saddened and shocked Euphie to stare at the insignia within her hands.

Suzaku's mind then returned to the present and he looked at Lelouch who was surrounded by Odysseus, Kewell, Viletta, Jeremiah, George and Omar, they were looking at maps and Suzaku joined them.

Lelouch was dressed in his Iron Prince Costume, minus his helmet which was also on the desk.

"Yesterday the 8th and 2nd Chinese fleets with the help of the 10th and 1st European fleets landed an army that we estimate is composed out off 900.000 Chinese and 300.000 European troops within Saga prefecture, their knightmare's are estimate to be composed out of 4000 Gun Rus and 2000 Panzer Hummels" Viletta informed them and a grim silence fell over the room .

He listened to Viletta briefing and mentally thought o himself: "_Outnumbered 24 to1 in terms of men, and 20 to one in armor, also from what I can gather about those poor boys who defended the coast we are the only military force left standing in Kyushu…It would take a miracle to carry the day!"._

After viewing a few maps Lelouch let out a breath of exasperation and said:

"Damn it all! I've been train at the best school off the empire and by some of the best teachers they ever had in matters of strategy, tactics, terrain and maneuver, I've studied dozens of battles, hundreds of maps ,their effects and aftermaths and nothing's been more clear to me than this situation present here"

"Cornelia's army arrived two days ago in Tokyo, because of its size and the fact that it now has to be transported by sea since the land bridges are now destroys means that it will take at least four days for Cornelia to land on the beaches, but it would take the enemy two days to get there, which means the Chinese will have two, maybe three days to turn that coast into a slaughter field!"

"Cornelia's army will charge those beaches valiantly and be butchered valiantly!...And while we and the Chinese and E.U are busy butchering each other on the beaches Kaguya will trigger her revolution, with Todoh they will most likely succeed and father the smart one he is will send not one, not two, but every single army there is stationed in the mainland…..Todoh will try and for a while succeed in stopping them, but under the tide of sheer numbers he will lose" he paused walked towards the window stared northwards towards Honshu and said.

"And this Land will be bathed with blood once more, it will be demoted to a correctional facility and all of our efforts against the numbers system and improving their lives will go down the drain!" Lelouch then closed his eyes, scratched his head in frustration, turned himself until he was viewing his subordinates, opened his eyes and with a voice which was tired and devoid of hope said:

"It's like I can see the troops running out of their amphibious transports and onto the beaches, like next month's already come to pass…..Do you guys what that feels like, to know a doomed battle's going to happen and you can't do nothing to prevent it, except participate in it helping it fail…" he paused and everyone in the room now knew the full political and world changing implications of this Kyushu Campaign.

"BY GOD THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN! I WILL NOT LET IT HAPPEN!"Lelouch suddenly shouted which made everyone jump back to attention.

"We have a city, so that means we have a castle, we have 50.000 men which we trained ourselves, meaning we know what they are capable of, so gentleman I want to know what are options are?" Lelouch calmly asked his subordinates.

"My lord, as you said if we lose those beaches we lose everything, so I suggest we fortify this city and wait for Cornelia to arrive, despite the horrid way in which we are outnumbered, I'd say we could survive a two day assault and siege until relief arrives" Jeremiah replied.

"I do not agree, what we have at our side is time and ground to give, I suggest be turn the city into a massive trap and fight a delaying actions until we reach Oita prefecture, our objective is to secure Cornelia a landing zone, and it would be less space to maneuver, but she would be able to land her army!" Kewell countered and Jeremiah did not argue with him, for although his plan was realistic he had little confidence they could pull it off against such a large force, the same was true for Kewell and what he thought about his own plan.

"I agree with Brigadier Kewell, we simply don't have the numbers to hold the city" Patton replied, and it was extremely out of character for him, since his motto was 'always forward'.

Lelouch calmly pulled out a cigarette, lighted it, took out a puff of smoke and during that short interval he considered both plans, both of them were good plans, both were however conventional plans, and if they were to survive they needed to think outside the box, he then looked out the window again, saw the settlement and then it hit him what they were going to do!

"There is no possible way for us to win this battle using our strength alone, so like Siberia we must use the enemy's strength against them, George and Omar you will take your battalion and fight a delaying action against them, hit, run and hide, but most of all conserve your knightmares, I want you to make them thing that we are desperate that there are only pockets of resistance left and they are all gathering in Fukuoka city for their last stand, understood?" Lelouch asked them

"Yes sir!"

"Yes sir!" they both replied in unison.

"Now as for the rest of us this is what we will do, Viletta you will use one of your regiments to evacuate the civilians, the rest of the army will construct fortifications, that will be phase one!" Lelouch continued.

"And what will be phase two?" Odysseus asked curious.

Lelouch then explained the rest of his plan to them and after he was done with that they all looked at him with awe from his plan.

"Permission to speak freely sir!" Patton asked

"Granted! Go ahead George!" Lelouch replied while inhaling a puff of smoke.

"I have always prided myself of being called the craziest, screw balled son of a bitch that ever came out of West Point…..but now I see that title rightfully belongs to you!" George said with a smile which reached his ears.

Any other general would take it as an insult, but Lelouch knew George well enough to know that was probably the highest praise he would ever give another person on his lifetime.

"Thanks' for the complement George! Now all off you get to work!" he said and the all replied with 'Yes My lord' and went to fulfill their respective tasks.

**(Governour's palace, Tokyo settlement)**

Schneizell was in a meeting with his staff and Cornelia and her's over an intercom.

"How many troops does your 8th army have sister?" he asked her.

"After Asia Minor, and upon seeing the recent activity around Pengai Island, I decided to stop in the mainland and heavily reinforce my army if a situation like the one present should ever present itself"

"In all,my ranks have now swollen to 500.000 men and 5.000 knightmares, we do not have their numbers, but these troops are veterans off other conflicts, and I have confidence that we can win this war!" Cornelia replied "My only concern is Lelouch! He hasn't retreated from there at all, if I were him I would have retreated to Kagoshima, since the land gap would make it easier to defend!"

"I agree, however the northern beaches of Kyushu are the only landing zone for your troops, can you sy you can get there before Sawasaki arrives there?" Schneizell asked.

"N…no honestly speaking, but Lelouch is…."she tried to say but was cut off by Schneizell.

"Lelouch is a soldier, he was trained at West Point, tutored by Darlton, and groomed by me, he knows what's at stake, he knows what he is doing, I don't like it as much as you do, especially now sine we lost Clovis, but Lelouch is a man now and we must trust him and let him follow the path he has chosen in life!" Schneizell replied and Cornelia knew it was true but she still wasn't comfortable with it.

"Should we declare martial law?" Kannon Maldini asked his master.

"There is no need for that. That would just increase the uneasiness among the people. Send a letter to the E.U's Foreign Minister Gandolfi. Ah, also contact the Toromo Institution in Cambodia" Schneizell replied.

"Prince Schneizell, using Toromo is….." Darlton said over the monitor, but was interrupted by Euphemia who walked in just now.

"Prime minister, Sir!" she said.

"Ah Euphie! What is it?" he asked

"Is there anything I can help out with?" she asked eagerly.

"I hope to do something as the Vice Governor-General of Japan….." she replied but was caught off

"I thank you for that! But that feeling is enough" Schneizell replied.

"But….."

"Vice-Governor, you must not put yourself in danger, if anything should happen to me, you would have to assume command of this Area" Cornelia said or rather ordered over the monitor.

"Sister! Is this still about selecting Suzaku as my knight?" Euphie asked surprised, since only now she realized Cornelia was on the monitor.

"No! It's not about that, and regarding Kururugi I feel that he has been the best choice for your….." Darlton said defending his master and one of his two star students, but was cut off by Schneizell.

"Euphie, when the Romans invaded and Eowin mustered and army, his son begged his father to fight at his side, but his father said no, o in the case of his own death there would be someone there to take his place and continue on…in times of war there are some who go to the frontlines, while other must stay behind, everyone has a part to play and yours is extremely important in making sure that the chain of command doesn't disintegrate" he said and Euphie could do nothing against that statement .

**(Ashford Academy, Student Council room)**

"We've already put so much effort into preparing this. Looks like the school festival is going to be cancelled." Shirley said disappointed.

"That isn't the problem. It's war, right?" Rivals said as he tipped his laptop.

"War?" Nina asked confused.

"Even though a government in exile is stuck in between, this is a war against the Chinese Federation and the E.U!" Rivals said to Nina.

"Nina, what about the outdoor booths that we're supposed to borrow from the museum?" Millie said seeing her friend was afraid.

"Ah! I'm going to do the paperwork today. If possible, I want to go to the science department after that….."Nina replied.

"Is it…about that present?" Millie asked curious.

"Huh? What Present?" Rivals asked curious.

"A while ago, a certain Professor Lloyd who works with Lelouch at the Phoenix Fund came here to school looking for him, he saw my research and said it had potential, but I was missing raw material for tests so he said he'd give it to me if I asked" Nina replied.

"Lloyd? Lelouch knows a teacher?" Rivals asked confused "Well any teacher who would help a student like that is definitely number one in my book!" Rivals said cheerfully and continued with his laptop.

"That 's enough! Continue your work!" Millie replied.

"Even though you say that, I'm doing the work of three people! Suzaku is with the army, Lelouch is worth the Phoenix Fund, Kallen is in the hospital! A-Ah…..Lelouch, that fellow, seems to have changed…." Rivals lamented.

Meanwhile Shirley looked out towards the window lost in her own thoughts.

"_Lulu usually works closely with Price Lelouch…that means he may be in Kyushu, were the war is going on…..if that's true will he make it back alive"_ Shirley said deeply concerned for him.

(**Kyushu, Fukuoka city, 42****nd**** knightmare area)**

Lelouch was on his way to review the knightmare battalion he had given to Omar and George, he entered the hanger and was shocked at what he saw.

"George, Omar could you please tell me what exactly is happening?" Lelouch shouted angrily.

"Well general we are preparing the knightmares for combat" George said calmly.

"I know that! But why in God's name are you decorating them with wolf heads and pelts!" Lelouch shouted back.

"Well you said our first mission is to harass and delay them right?" Bradley asked.

"Yes! That's right!" Lelouch replied.

"Well that meant we had to stalk them and pounce on them like wolves pounce a flock of sheep, so I decided to go with that and so we are your 'Wild Wolves' no he he!" George replied and snickered.

"And why does your wolf head have a giant helmet and necktie?" Lelouch said curious

"Well you know me! Never go anywhere without a helmet, necktie and garters!" George replied and the only reason he hadn't placed garters on his of the two Lancelots that Lelouch gave him and Omar was that it looked silly.

At this Lelouch only shook his head more in amusement than in disapproval, George really was the type of crazy son of a bitch that would lead the 761st to glory.

"Alright, just get your battalion moving and get to work!"Lelouch replied and they both saluted with a yes sir and he exited the hanger bay.

Outside he bumped into Suzaku.

"Hey Lelouch, I have and important question to ask you, can we go somewhere private?" Suzaku asked him.

"Sure!" he replied and he and Suzaku went a few feet away until they were alone.

Once they were like that Lelouch could see that Suzaku was having trouble with his question and he braced himself mentally for what would surely be a great question.

"Lelouch…" Suzaku said and Lelouch inhaled a breath of air for courage "…..did you and Kallen really have sex?" and Lelouch immediately chocked…. that's right he choked on air! And started coughing in shock from the question.

"That's it!….that's the big question you were going to ask me!...Jesus I thought you were going to ask something like 'is there a God', or 'are we going to die today'! But the big philosophical question that is on your mind is 'did you sleep with Kallen"….God Lord I almost had a heart attacked when you muttered my name and I chocked on air….on air Suzaku! Do you understand that?" Lelouch replied annoyed.

"Well sorry! But I had to know the truth!" Suzaku replied concerned and a bit shamed for what he had caused unintentionally.

"Well you didn't have to make such a big dramatic performance for something like that!" Lelouch replied and noticed that Suzaku was still waiting for his answer.

"Yes, I had sex with Kallen and I enjoyed it!" Lelouch replied indifferently.

"When did it happen?" Suzaku asked eager for more information.

"The night before Shikinejima I ask her out, I was suspicious that she was 'Lady Devil' and I decided to find out for sure, we had dinner, danced a little and while I was confirming that she was our culprit she kissed me…I tried to break away , but she is stronger than me so she overpowered me and next thing I know we were in bed" Lelouch replied.

"Wait from what you said Kallen seems to have….raped you!" Suzaku replied.

"SHE DID NOT1!" Lelouch shouted which was overheard by the soldiers in the distance, he realized this and lowered his voice.

"Think about it! You said she kissed you and she overpowered you right?" Suzaku asked.

"Well yes!" Lelouch replied.

"Well my friend" Suzaku said as he put his arms on Lelouch shoulders in comfort and continued with "You were raped!".

"I was not!" Lelouch said and walked a few feet away from Suzaku until he suddenly stooped and said:

"Oh my God you're right! I was raped!" Lelouch said loudly, but it was only loud enough for Suzaku to hear.

"Well my friend!" Suzaku said as came from behind Lelouch, put a arm on his shoulder in a gesture of comfort and said "It could happen to anyone off us!" and then left to help with the defenses.

Lelouch couldn't believe what just happened, and what made it even worse was the fact that Suzaku wasn't laughing like it was a bad joke, he was truly and genuinely sympathetic for what Lelouch went through, that only made it worst.

"_Shirley kisses me, calls me the worst man alive, then slaps me silly, Kallen rapes me, Kaguya takes me hostage , what's next? C.C marries me and Millie makes me her sex slave?"_ he said and both thoughts send shivers down his spine.

**(Clovis memorial museum)**

"A decorative Vice Governor-General, I knew that from the start. But I still wanted to put effort into whatever I could do. What should I do Brother Clovis?" Euphemia said towards a massive painting of Clovis who was hanging on the wall.

"I'm not as powerful as brother Schneizell or Sister Cornelia, nor am I as smart as Lelouch. I'm just a burden no matter where I go. Before I even realize it, I find myself acting willfully."

"Although I went against Sister's decision and selected a knight….."she paused and looked and the knight insignia that Suzaku gave back to her "I was rejected by him!" Euphie said as tears streamed down her eyes.

Meanwhile outside the museum Nina was talking with a guard.

"Ah, I heard about it. You just need to do the paperwork today, right? A royal is inside viewing at the moment" the guard replied.

"Eh? Who is it?" Nina asked.

**(Fukuoka city two days Latter)**

Lelouch was sitting on his black horse 'Tempest' and was a few feet just outside the city limits, he was looking towards the west, George's battalion arrived an hour ago and they were awaiting Kusakabe and Sawasaki's arrival.

It was now evening, and soon the sun would start to set, Lelouch looked at his watch to see what date today was.

"_October 30, 2017…Devil's Night! God sure has some sense of humor!"_ he mentally said to himself.

"This is Colonel Odysseus to General Lelouch, our batteries have sighted the enemy they are 15 miles away and closing in!"

"Thank you Colonel!" Lelouch said and then contacted Diethard Reed, who had stubbornly insisted to stay here and record history in the making.

"Mister Reed have you done what I requested of you?" Lelouch asked through his helmet radio.

"Yes sir! The Line Omega is ready! I've created a transmission image in which the screen is divided in half, the right portion features you and the left the enemy Gun Ru vanguard, the transmission is being broadcasted to our own soldiers and live on global television and the internet as well, and I am also to sever the transmission when you give the signal as per your instructions" Diethard replied.

"Good job mister Reed! You may begin the transmission now!" Lelouch ordered.

"Yes sir! But might I suggest what is it you want to show the world my lord?" Diethard asked curious.

"The Niddhog mister Reed…..The Niddhog, of course" Lelouch replied with a grin which made Diethard even more eager at what he was planning.

Diethard started the broadcast and the whole world could see what would happen during the opening rounds of the battle.

The Chinese Vanguard was now ten miles away, seven enemy Gun-Rus had stopped just outside the range of Lelouch's artillery and were waiting for the rest of the army to catch up.

Lelouch then kicked his horse and it took him a few meters forwards, before Lelouch stopped.

He was wearing his black Kevlar armor, but it lacked his cape so you could se his body clearly, but with the armor and helmet on, and he had with him a medieval short sword with him, made Lelouch look like a knight of old ridding his horse to battle.

He dismounted, took out his sword, placed it into the ground until it looked like a cross, got down on one knee next to it, and from the inside of his chest armor drew out a crucifix which was tied around his neck, tilted his head, until his forehead was glowed to the crucifix's top, he wasn't really praying, but to his men and the world it looked like it.

"_Richard the pious king prays to God for victory against the barbarians!" _Diethard said to himself mentally, he couldn't stop himself from smiling at the incredible scene before him.

Lelouch then got up from his kneeling position, he made the cross sign on his body which you make when finished praying, with his left hand he drew the V.A.R.I.S handgun which he ordered Lloyd to built for him, he aimed it at the seven enemy Gun Rus who were ten miles away, his helmet had a targeting system within it and his right arm had a special hydraulics system which helped stabilize his arm.

"AMEN!" he said out loud which was picked up by the camera microphones and the whole world heard it, he then fired one bullet which hit one Gun RU between the eyes, the power of the V.A.R.I.S handgun gave the bullet enough strength to penetrate the Gun Ru's thin armor, kill the pilot and make I t collapse to the ground in front of the whole world.

Lelouch them fired six more shots and the other six Gun Rus fell to the ground destroyed.

"Lelouch you magnificent bastard! I read your book!" Patton said out loud while he watched the whole scene on his monitor, the phrase 'I read your book' was an army expression which meant that someone knew someone else was going to do something grand.

"_With God's blessing Richard throws his spear at the pagans and he strikes them down!"_ Diethard said and he continued filming Lelouch.

Lelouch then mounted Tempest, rode back to his troops which were cheering him as loudly as they could, only a moment ago they were ready to piss themselves from fear of the vast army which now faced them, but with Lelouch superhuman feet which could be called a miracle all fear escaped, and the feeling that they could win against Sawasaki with such a man leading them.

Lelouch ordered Diethard to end the transmission and so he did.

As Lelouch galloped towards his Command center, he noticed that the sun was setting, and he knew that soon the enemy army would arrive.

At that moment the encyclopedia he called a brain involuntarily recited another poem, only this one was not from a famous poet, but from an old Green Lantern Story arc.

_**The Blackest Night falls from the skies,**_

_**The darkness grows as all light dies,**_

_**We crave your hearts and your demise,**_

_**By my black hand-The dead shall rise!**_

"And so it begins!" Lelouch said as he gripped the crucifix around his neck, he wasn't religious and this was the first time he wore a crucifix around his neck, but in desperate times humans always sought out God, Lelouch was no different.

**Read and review**

**Let me know if I should continue**


	19. Phase XIX: Blackest Night part II

Phase XIX: Blackest Night part II

**(Slayers military base)**

"WO! Did you guys see that? Man! Zero really is awesome!" Tamaki exclaimed deeply impressed by Lelouch actions.

The other present were just as impressed of the stunt Lelouch pulled to shut him up.

"What happens next? They just stopped broadcasting the battle!" Tamaki continued.

"That was all they intended to broadcast, Lelouch wanted to show that he is a powerful warrior and nothing more!" Kaguya replied.

"Still it is a shame we cannot view the battle!" Asahina said.

"We can!" Todoh said and pushed a button on the remote and the battle was shown once more, only from a different point of view than what was shown by Diethard.

"When I heard Sawasaki had landed on Kamine Island, I immediately ordered hidden cameras to be placed in every major city in Kyushu so we could have reliable data about the enemy, both of them" Todoh said and they continued viewing the battle.

**(Fukuoka city)**

Lelouch by now had returned to his command center and was watching the enemy army on the radar screen.

"The whole army is still on the way so they are beginning their attack with the two knightmare divisions that those seven Gun Rus were part off!" Viletta briefed her commander.

"Will you look at that! I have the best road to the beaches and their hitting me with only two divisions! Lovely! LOVELY!" Lelouch said pleased that the initial stages of the battle were going to his favor.

"Tell Odysseus that he may start firing at his own discretion, and not to use too much ammunition, we will need it all for when the main body off troops arrives here!" Lelouch told his aide du camp and he complied.

Odysseus had the habit of commanding the artillery from the front line instead of a bunker or a mobile command center behind the lines, this surprised Lelouch and it also pleased him and made Odysseus grow in Lelouch eyes.

He looked at the tactical map and saw that the above mentioned divisions had started their assault no doubt to prove their defenses, Lelouch looked at the map curious to see just how good his elder brothers performance an artillery commander he actually is.

"Understood!" Odysseus said as he got his orders.

"Range 9000 meters and closing!" Major Ito Kuribayashi said to him.

Odysseus after being given a Colonel commission and the artillery corps immediately went to work, he evaluated all of the battery commanders and found that Lt Kuribayashi was the most skilled among them, so he promoted him to Major and made him his second. Kuribayashi originally refused, since he himself a 'honorary brittannian' was rising through the ranks of the army at an alarmingly fast rate, but after Odysseus said that he needed men of skill and he was the most skilled that was why he selected him, despite being a prince Odysseus didn't have a racist bone in his body.

"Wait until they get to 5.000 meters major and then open fire, the commander said not to waste ammunition, so let's make every shot count!" Odysseus ordered.

"Yes sir!" Kuribayashi said and he transmitted the order to the artillery batteries.

Odysseus seeing the rate the enemy was advancing and their formation on the map immediately made some calculation in his head, which to an artillery officer like him was second nature and then gave the following order.

"Major tell all batteries the following!" Odysseus said and he quickly gave the firing coordinates and to hold fire until he gives the order.

Odysseus watched the map closely and when the perfect moment to fire the cannons came he roared out "Fire!" and all 600 cannons roared into the night sky.

(**Clovis memorial museum)**

Nina suddenly saw that a limousine and escort was pulling out of the museum's parking lot.

"Princess Euphemia!" Nina said as she ran towards the limousine.

The escort guards saw this and quickly caught her and pinned her to the ground.

"Case confirmed. Case Delta has occurred!" the squad commander said through the radio

"I beg you, I just want to thank Princess Euphemia, that's all!"Nina said as the guards and started immobilizing her.

Euphie looked on in confusion for a moment until it hit her.

"Ah! From the hotel jacking incident" she said to herself.

"The interrogation room is ready, prepare to bring her too it!" one of the guards said through the radio.

"Stop it! She is my friend!" Euphie said as she got out of the car.

**(Cornelia's position, main port of Honshu)**

Cornelia was sitting inside a building and looking out at the down pouring rain.

"Because of the weather we will have to wait until the storm clears before the ship from the open see can make port and we can board them with our troops" Guilford told his liege

"And how long will that take?" Cornelia asked frustrated that it was raining heavily and the massive waves were preventing the ships from getting to close to the shore.

"I'd say five to six hours my lady" Guilford replied.

At this she grunted her face and mentally said to herself "_Six hours! Each minute seems as long as a day! Will Lelouch be able to last six hours more?"_ .

**(Fukuoka city)**

Lelouch and everybody else who had watched the radar screen were in s state of shock, for what they just saw truly was amazing.

In just under 30 seconds Odysseus somehow managed for all intend and purpose to destroyed the two Gun Ru divisions.

"Brigadier Nu you have command, I am going to see Colonel Odysseus to find out just what happened!" Lelouch said and he hurried out to where Odysseus position was.

After a few minutes of driving he arrived there.

"General!" Odysseus said and he saluted and snapped to attention.

"At ease Colonel, could you please tell me what just happened, the enemy was on the screen then after a few seconds they literally were annihilated!" Lelouch asked curious.

"Well Sir over the years I noticed that a knightmare was fast enough and maneuverable enough to dodge artillery fire, so I figured that the answer to that was to concentrate all of an army's artillery fire into one position and fire one massive volley simultaneously so every square inch of that field becomes a kill zone… I saw the rate of the enemy's advance and I fired the first volley in one specific area just a few moments before they reached that area so that when the enemy would get there the shells would hit them at that exact same moment" Odysseus paused to catch his breath.

"_Is this really the same Odysseus the nobles nicknamed the 'blockhead of the brittannian royal family'!_ Lelouch mentally said to himself, who knew that his brother was such a fearsome commander.

"Well go on Colonel!" Lelouch said as he was eager to hear the rest of the story.

"Well sir, after the first volley they stopped, they were shocked by it sir, so I saw an opportunity and took advantage of it, I ordered the cannons to fire another concentrated volley and another and another and before I knew it I….I ran out of targets Sir!" Odysseus said, he himself was surprised at how well his artillery technique worked.

"Well done Colonel, but that was just the opening round, the real battle will begin soon, it will take them an hour at most until they get their own artillery from the baggage train, be prepared when that happens!" Lelouch replied _"Who would have thought that making you my chief of artillery would bring me such benefits! You think you know a person!" _he mentally though in his mind.

"Yes sir…Oh! Before you go sir major Kuribayashi here has been viewing the enemy with his binoculars and I think you should hear what he has to say about them sir" Odysseus said and gestured towards the major, and Kuribayashi approached Lelouch with the expression of a man who had just seen great horrors on his face.

"Go on Ito, tell him what you told me!" Odysseus encouraged his friend.

"Well sir, I saw how the divisions infantry was hit by the shells, and some of them died, but most of them was heavily wounded, I saw things like that before sir, but what those wounded men did shook me to the core!" Kuribayashi said and he took out a handkerchief to wipe his forehead of sweat.

"Well go on, what did you see major?" Lelouch asked.

"Well General Zero sir, the wounded…..they…they didn't scream sir out of pain or for a medic, they kept quiet sir…they kept their eyes focused on our positions and continued to advance, despite the fact that they were heavily wounded! I saw men with no legs pull themselves forward with their arms until they bled to death, I saw men who had one of their sides torn off from shrapnel hop towards our positions with their other good side….I…..I even saw severed arms trying for a moment to pull themselves towards our position, before the stopped dead, it….it was like viewing a George Romero zombie horror movie out their sir!" Kuribayashi said and he sat down, the sheer horror he had witnessed and forced to recount twice was to much to allow him to stand.

"_The enemy has some kind of geass user, I'm sure of it…!" _Lelouch said to himself mentally.

He then activated his helmet radio and said.

"Jeremiah move all off our troops to a defensive ring around the government facility, leave only the knightmares on the city's edge to draw the enemy in!" he ordered.

"Understood!" Jeremiah replied and hang up the radio to go and fulfill his orders.

"Odysseus you better move the cannons and yourself and Major Kuribayashi, there as well! The main army is going to come up soon and we have to shorten our defensive perimeter in order to maximize our firepower!" Lelouch ordered.

"Understood!" Odysseus said and gave the necessary orders.

Lelouch then left his position and went towards the knightmare loading area so he could mount his personal custom frame.

**( General Tsao's command pyramid,command bridge )**

"All wiped out!" Kusakabe said astonished at what he just heard.

"Well, it seems that the 'Iron Prince' meant what he said when he proclaimed to train 50.000 men as commandos!" Sawasaki said unfazed, they may have lost 20.000 men, but their army numbered 1.200.000.

"_Keh ! It seems that we must be cautions, even with my Power of Absolute bloodlust imbibed into them, those troops still lost!"_ Kusakabe said to himself.

"We have just received the following report:Heavy rain blows from the north to the south in Honshu, Cornelia's 8th army cannot be boarded into ships, since they cannot get close to land because of the storm!" General Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus, who was the commander of the E.U forces.

"Heaven truly is on our side then, we will win this war!" Sawasaki confidently proclaimed.

"We are truly fortunate that a storm has formed over Honshu…I suggest we leave one army corps here, use the country roads which run parallel to the main ones which run through Fukuoka base, with the rain slowing Cornelia down we could make it their before here if we order a force march!" Tsao advised and Friedrich and the corps commanders who were present agreed.

"We will do no such thing! Have you forgotten that I am in command of this army and not you!" Kusakabe loudly proclaimed.

Tsao did not like Kusakabe, although Kusakabe is friends with Ludwig Beck the E.U minister of Defense and he is the reason why the E.U joined the invasion, and it was for that reason that the eunuchs gave him a field marshal's commission and command of the expeditionary force, and because of the E.U joining, the eunuchs were afraid of sharing the conquest with them and gave Tsao instead of the original 200.00 men scheduled for the invasion 900.000 men.

"Of course Field Marshall Kusakabe, the decision of what we do next lies with you!" General Tsao said and bowed his head apologetically; he hid his distaste for Kusakabe with the skill you'd expect of a professional soldier; however the other generals gathered around him shared his opinion.

"Weary well then, we will not bypass this city, we will surround and attack it from all sides and crush The 'Iron Prince' with the weight of our numbers!" he said as he pointed towards the map.

"Begging your pardon sir, build I would like permission to speak!" the voice of LI Xingke the commander of the 'Dragon Cavalry' Corps was heard.

Kusakabe nodded and Xingke began.

"Even if we have superior numbers, our spies told us that the city has been turned into a fortress and what happened to the vanguard is proof of that!" he paused to let this sink in.

"Even if we conquer it we will most likely suffer heavy casualties from it, we will lose troops which would be useful against Cornelia!".

"May I remind you that Cornelia's army is the main threat, I agree with general Tsao suggestion, we bypass the city, occupy the beaches, destroy Cornelia's army and then return here and defeat the Black Knights." Xingke suggested and the others agreed that Tsao plan made more sense.

"Do you know what you are saying! We need that city and road for our supply route, and how can we occupy the beaches with an enemy strong hold to our rear, no sir we will crush Lelouch here and then move towards the beaches!" Kusakabe replied.

Li admitted to himself that what he said about the supplies and the position of Fukuoka city had truth in them, but general Tsao's plan would mean that they could use the side roads for supplies and they could prevent an enemy attack on their rear flank by placing a corps to stop Zero from leaving the city like general Tsao suggested.

"_It's not the supply routes and the enemy threatening our backwards flank that is making him order an assault, it's revenge!…..he desires revenge for what Zero did to him at Kawaguchi, and he is willing to sacrifice this army and the fate of the war because of it!"_ Xingke thought to himself and clenched his fists in ager at his commander stupidity, selfishness and disregard for those under his command.

"Understood….we will commence the attack as soon as we can get our troops into position" Xingke said and he bowed his head in obedience and respect, fake respect, but obedience still and the generals left to fulfill Kusakabe's order.

**(Clovis memorial museum, curator's office)**

"Back then…Back then when Princess Euphemia saved me….I saw a goddess! It was as if you were shining brightly….Ah! Sorry! I should have thanked you for lending me your clothes first" Nina said towards Euphie.

"Don't worry about that! Also, I'm not that great of a person. I'm completely useless compared to my other siblings" Euphie replied a bit saddened.

"You are not useless!"Nina replied.

"Huh!" Euphie said caught off guard

"Princess Euphemia being useless…I'm a good-for-nothing….Completely useless….My parents are juts commoners…I'm not pretty at all…" Nina said towards her.

"That's not true. You are really cute!"Euphie replied

"Ah…That is….I'm really useless….Completely" Nina said with a slight blush and with conviction in her voice.

"_You hate yourself, Don't you? But the same goes for me" _Euphie though to herself

"….I know it clearly in my head….about Suzaku too…Ah, I see! Suzaku too! That's why I can't let Princess Euphemia say that she's useless! Because….Because I need you. To me…."Nina said on the verge of breaking out in tears.

"Nina, thank you. It was great meeting you." Euphie replied happily

"Ah!" Nina said astonished.

"It seems I understand it now!" Euphie added.

**(Fukuoka city)**

Outside the city the Chinese were maneuvering into position just outside the range of the cannons.

While they did that their own artillery pounded the city's edge, but the guns were too and they were fired by poorly trained Chinese soldiers, so most of the shells either landed short or missed it's intended target.

Li Xingke was in a Gun Ru and had finished assembling his corps.

While Xingke watched the city being bombarded, just then Hong Gu his second in command came up to Xingke and said:

"Sir I have ridden with my own Gun Ru and saw the city myself, and I have never seen such a worse place to attack, Zero has withdrawn his forces towards the Government facility, the ghetto's are all filled with buildings which are half completed of which are a snipers playground, there are barbed wires, mine fields and obstacles all the way, that's going to slow us down greatly , and while we are advancing slow their artillery will cut us to pieces!" 

"Hong, general Tsao has argued against attacking this city, I have argued against attacking, Hell! General Tsao and I have been arguing that we should go around and seize the beaches!" Li replied.

"And why don't we do that?" Hong asked curious.

"Because our brilliant commander Kusakabe said attack and as good soldiers we obey!" Xingke spat out in disgust.

"They don't even have to shoot at us to kills us; all they have to do is wait for us to faint for exhaustion from moving through the city!" Hong Lu tried once more to prevent an attack.

"Haven't you heard what I said? It's out of my hands now come on**! **_**Once more unto the breach**_, dear friend, once more!" Xingke said and he reluctantly led his corps in the assault.

**(Tokyo concession, Schneizell's office)**

"Lelouch sure knows how to put on a show!" Schneizell said to his aids a few moments after they watched the transmission.

Just then general Bartley came into the room, he was caring a battle report and had a grave look on his face.

"What is it Bartley?" Schneizell asked curiously.

"Your highness…..the battle report from when Sawasaki landed in Kyushu arrived!" Bartley replied.

He then handed the folder to Schneizell, he opened it, read it and his usual calm expression was replaced by one off sheer astonishment at what he had just read.

"All whipped out?" Schneizell asked.

"Yes sir….50.000 men manned that beach, after it was clear that they couldn't stop the Chinese from landing the 30.000 surviving soldiers tried to surrender,…..but the ground troops refused to listen and they killed them all!" Bartley said still shocked at the news.

"_What on Earth could have filled those men with such bloodlust that they would slaughter troops who surrendered!"_ Schneizell said to himself, he decided to not let this information reach Cornelia, it would only make her more nervous than she already is for Lelouch predicament.

**(Fukuoka city)**

The assault had now begun and right before he ordered the attack Kusakabe used his Geass upon his soldiers, and all of them were now filled with blood lust, all except Xingke's dragon cavalry corps which was at the extreme eastern tip of the encirclement and was out of Kusakabe's range.

Within the city the Chinese and European army was advancing slowly just like Hong had predicted,Odysseus's surprisingly extraordinary skills as an artillery commander was put to good use and he made sure that each step the invader took into the city would be paid with the blood of a hundred soldiers.

But that was not what drew Sawasaki's attention, what drew his attention ,what drew his attention was reports of the Lancelot fighting a tactical withdraw to the governmental facility and was decimating the respective sectors vanguard.

"That miraculous weapon!" general Tsao said as he heard the reports.

"That means the pilot inside is…..?" Sawasaki trailed off.

Suzaku meanwhile was as the Chinese reports said decimating the enemy vanguard, him and the battalion Lelouch had given him were doing the following, the first group fired, the second group moved to the side and went behind them, when the second group got behind the first the first would duck, move to the side and the second group would fire over and next to them were the enemy was.

The tight streets of the City worked to their advantage and the tactic that was employed not just by them, but by every single knightmare in Lelouch's army worked to devastating results combined with Odysseus cannons.

Up until now after almost 30 minutes of fighting, it was estimated by Lelouch that the Chinese had crossed the former Japanese ghettos and were a mile away from the outskirts of the Brittannian settlement, and up until now they had lost 80.000 men and 400 E.U and 800 Chinese knightmares, but like madmen they were charging Lelouch's lines like mad berserkers.

"_So this is what happens to men who are subjected to Geass!...I am now more glad than ever that I refused this unholy power….I really don't know how I could have lived with myself if I accepted it"_ Lelouch said in his mind and moved his hand towards his packet of cigarettes, he grabbed it and noticed that before nightfall it was full and now it was half empty.

"I smoked half a pack in just under an hour and a half!" Lelouch said to himself astounded at his behavior, he knew the toxic effect smoking had on his body, and he also knew that great men under pressure first would smoke heavily, then would drink heavily, then do drugs, until they were only a hollow shell of their former selves.

"If I win this battle I quit smoking, I'll find something else to help me with stress relief!" he said to himself and put the cigar pack back in his pocket.

He was in his custom knightmare, and was viewing the battle on his tactical map, seeing that the time to spring his trap was drawing near he gave the following orders

"Transmit this to all my knightmares: Retreat towards the government facility, Odysseus will provide a heavy artillery barrage for you"

" Repeat: Retreat towards the government facility, Odysseus will provide a heavy artillery barrage for you" he said towards his aid du camp and he transmitted the orders.

Back at Suzaku's position he received Lelouch's orders and quickly went to fulfill them.

"Listen up men! We have just received the order to withdraw towards the government facility, you all go ahead and I will provide covering fire!" Suzaku ordered his battalion.

"But major we just can't leave you here!" One of his captains replied.

"Don't worry about me, the Lancelot I am piloting is faster, stronger and better armed than a Sutherland, I will provide covering fire against the enemy and then meet up with all of you at the government facility!" Suzaku replied.

"U….Understood!" the captain hesitantly accepted and the battalion with equal or even more hesitance withdrew.

Suzaku liked what he just saw, he himself had helped trained those pilots during the past three months when he had free time and the fact that a brittannian soldier was hesitant to abandon his 'honorary brittannian' commander was proof to Suzaku that he was right.

"_You can change the world without using the wrong methods!" _he said to himself and after a few minutes of providing covering fire decided to withdraw, just then a message was heard on an open channel.

"I am Sawasaki. The one who is heading here, are you Kururugi's son? I see! HE actually has a child like this!" Sawasaki said over the monitor.

**(Schneizell's office, Tokyo settlement) **

Schneizell's door suddenly opened and through it came Euphie with a determine look on her face.

"Brother Schneizell, do you have a private channel I can use?" she said as she hurried towards the desk.

Schneizell's suddenly aw a look of determination and confidence in Euphie's eyes that he would have associated with Cornelia, and because off what he saw he couldn't say no and he gave her the private channel and himself and his aides exited the room to give her privacy.

(**Fukuoka city)**

Xingke was amazed by two things at the moment.

The first thing that amazed him was just how much casualty's they were taking, the second was how easily Lelouch was giving ground!

"_Something's not right! Even with our waste numbers working to our advantage and despite are heavy casualties we are advancing at an alarmingly fast rate!"_ Li mentally said to himself.

"_Zero is giving ground at a surprisingly fast pace… it's almost like he is….."_ The sudden realization of what Lelouch was planning struck him like a bolt of lightning.

"This is General Xingke to all Dragon cavalry units! All units Retreat! I repeat: All units Retreat! We must get outside the city as quickly as possible!" Li shouted frantically through the radio and his men had no trouble following that order, they themselves felt just how strong the defenses were.

"_Zero has set up an enormous trap and that fool Kusakabe is Leading the army right into it…You may have ordered a million men to their deaths Kusakabe, but my soldiers will not pay the price of your stupidity"_ Li said and he evacuated his army, he didn't bothertrying to warn Kusakabe, he did however send a transmission to General Tsao warning him about it.

Meanwhile at Suzaku's position he was fighting against some Gun Rus that had caught up to him, the transmission distracted him momentarily and that moment gave the Gun Rus enough time to catch up to him.

"This has nothing to do with my father! I came because I myself wanted to put an end to the fighting!" Suzaku said to Sawasaki as he ran away from the Gun Rus.

"Do you intend to take away the dream of Japan's independence?"Sawasaki asked through the video transmission.

"In that case, realize that through the correct methods…" Suzaku said but was cut off by Sawasaki.

"Do you intend to live on willfully like that? Continuing on with Zero and his idealistic views of chivalry and justice?" Sawasaki asked again.

"No those ideal aren't!..."Suzaku tried to say, but once again Sawasaki managed to distract him and he was hit by enemy fire as a result.

"The VARIS IS….!" He said as the impact cause him to drop his riffle and it was destroyed by enemy fire.

**(Command pyramid)**

"He was distracted by just a conversation. He's still just a novice!" Sawasaki said and chuckled, Kusakabe joined in as well.

Just then general Tsao received the transmission Xingke gave him.

"Field Marshall Kusakabe, Xingke says that the 'Iron Prince' has set up a trap and has withdrawn his corps, I know that he is a capable commander and he would not break formation without good reasoning, I recommend we do the same to all off our forces!" Tsao said towards Kusakabe.

"We will do no such thing!" Kusakabe barked back "We are on the verge of crushing him, and that trap Xingke says off is a fictional one! We will deal with him after we finish this battle!" Kusakabe said and gave another all forces forward order to his men, and gave them another blast of Geass.

It was however unknown to Kusakabe that Lelouch had activated the anti-geass generator and as soon as Kusakabe's geassed men entered the city or the geass wave did the same, the affected soldiers would turn from berserkers back into normal soldiers, this combined with the one second pause in which they stopped to regain their senses made them ideal targets for artillery.

Tsao was concerned, he was now sweating like a sinner in church _"Xingke knows the penalty for disobeying orders, he wouldn't do so unless he was sure those orders would have lead us to disaster!"_ he said to himself and he whipped his forehead with a handkerchief and knew deep down in his gut that disaster lat ahead, and they're 'brilliant' leader was charging straight into it.

(**Area around government facility)**

Lelouch looked at the tactical map before him and saw that all his forces were now within the Government facility area on the other side of the trench, all forces except Suzaku who was surrounded by enemies.

"_I can't activated the trap with Suzaku still in the Concession, he will be crushed, but if I don't then the Chinese and Europeans will kill as all!"_ Lelouch said in his mind, he never had dreamed he would be caught in such a position.

"_What should I do? Do I sacrifice my army to save my best friend or do I sacrifice my friend to save my army?"_ Lelouch said in his mind and for the first time in his life he really didn't have an answer, and he then did something he himself never really though he would do, he put his hands together and started praying.

"_God almighty, please perform a miracle and help my friend escape from the enemy, save him God!" it was _allLelouch could do at the moment, but he knew that after a certain amount of time he would have to trigger his trap, regardless of whether Suzaku escaped or not.

"_Sometimes you must choose the lesser of two evils!"_ his mind repeated the words he said to Suzaku at Shikinejima, and now he had to make that choice.

"To hell with logic!" Lelouch shouted to himself as tears went down his eyes and he looked at his watch and the radar screen waiting until he could not delay the trap no longer and would have to kill one man so he could save fifty thousand.

(**Fukuoka city, Suzaku's position)**

Suzaku sustained another hit and this time he noticed he was now surrounded, with no way out.

"Surrender, Suzaku-kun! I promise you that I will treat you well as the orphaned child of Prime Minister Kururugi" Sawasaki said to him with a smug expression on his face.

"No thanks! A Black Knight dies, but he does not surrender! Also I couldn't forgive myself if I made use of my father's name here!" Suzaku replied back angrily.

"I see, aren't you similar to him. That stubbornness of yours is pretty similar to your father's, I will however give you five minutes to reconsider, after that I will open fire." Sawasaki replied.

Suzaku looked around himself and saw that the Gun Rus that had surrounded him had not fire a shot, he realized that they were waiting for orders.

"_I'm sorry Lelouch! I let you down my friend, just trigger the trap and let the world be rid of me, the useless knight and major!" _Suzaku said in his mind and he prepared for death, only for Euphie's voice to flood his speakers suddenly.

"Kururugi Suzaku!"

"Princess Euphemia?" Suzaku said as he watched her image on the monitor in confusion.

"Suzaku, I… erm….you…." Euphie said as she tried to put her feelings into words.

"Erm… right now, I'm…."Suzaku tried to reply, but was cut off.

"Erm, Please Love me!" Euphie suddenly said over the screen.

"Yes!" Suzaku said in the manner in which a soldiers accepts and order without hesitation, only for him to realize what he just agreed to do "Eh?".

"Eh? " Cecile said to herself as she was linked to the Lancelots communication devices.

"What? What happened nom?" Lloyd said frantically he saw what was happening to the machine and looked like he was to jump through the decks window, land on the ground and rescue his precious 'baby' from the mean Gun Rus.

"E-Erm…It's nothing. Just something private" Cecile said as she blushed slightly.

Meanwhile Lelouch shared Cecile's reaction, since he was also in direct link to the Lancelot.

"_I pray for a miracle and this is what I get?" _he said confused.

"In return, I'll fall deeply in love with you!" Euphie said and she blushed.

"Princess Euphemia…?" Suzaku said amazed at what he was hearing.

"Suzaku….Your stubbornness…Your gentleness….Your sad eyes…Your silliness…You getting bitten by cats…I like it all! So don't hate yourself!" Euphie said towards him.

"I see… I've made you worried instead…! AS a person you are always so sudden. When I first met you back at West Point, writing me letters, choosing me as your knight…You're always so…" he replied.

"That's right, I'm always sudden! Because..I suddenly realized…" Euphie replied.

"But due to that suddenness, I felt as if the door to my heart has become unlocked, Thank you!" Suzaku replied.

"Can I make one last request of you?" Suzaku asked.

"Last?" Euphie said concerned.

"Please don't hate yourself no matter what happens to me. Also, eliminate everything about me when it happens, I don't want to cause my friends any trouble, so tell them that I've transferred schools, also tell Lelouch I am sorry I let him down" Suzaku said as he drew his MASSER sword for his last stand.

"Suzaku, don't tell me…" Euphie said as the meaning of his words hit her.

"Currently there is no way for me to break through, so this is it for me!" Suzaku replied and he prepared himself to charge the Gun Rus.

"Suzaku, don't die!" Euphie said on the brink of tears.

"Open fire!" Sawasaki said to the troops.

And suddenly an artillery barrage fell upon the Gun Rus.

For a moment Suzaku was confused from where it came from.

Lelouch from his cockpit was just as confused, when he suddenly remembered that he ordered Odysseus to cover his troops with an artillery barrage.

A great smile appeared on his face, and he looked upwards and said in his mind "_Thank you God, thank you from the bottom of my heart!"._

"Suzaku this is Lelouch! Odysseus artillery barrage won't keep the enemy at bay for long, so get back here now! We will discuss the fact that you are dating my sister latter!" Lelouch said over the comm.'s.

"Y..Yes sir" Suzaku said and he raced towards the Government Facility, on the other side of the line, Euphie let out a breath of relief, and mentally thanked both her brothers and God for rescuing Suzaku.

"What are you doing? Don't let him get away!" Kusakabe angrily ordered his men.

The Chinese and European forces were now almost entirely concentrated within the area of the Brittannian Concession, 90% of the enemy knightmares, tanks and cannon and 500.000 infantry were there, and were pushing their way towards the Government Facility.

Only about tree corps were not within the city.

Those mentioned were Li' dragon cavalry and the other were one European and one Chinese knightmare corps who were guarding the command Pyramid.

Lelouch saw on his knightmare tactical map that Suzaku jumped the trench which surrounded the government facility, and reached the other side, rolling on the ground from the force off the inertia.

"He made it!" Lelouch said and he pressed a button on a switch he had within his hand and his trap sprang.

The entire Fukuoka city Brittannian settlement collapsed upon the enemy army, the shock wave produced by this action was like a small earthquake and hurricane striking the Black Knight at once, it made them loose their balance, but they were safe within the Area of The government facility.

(**Slayers military base)**

"I…Impossible!" Ohgi said his eyes wide with astoundment.

"Zero turned the entire city into his weapon!" Kaguya said, she and the others who were present were just as amazed as Ohgi was.

"Zero!...You truly are amazing" Tamaki said to himself in admiration.

**(Outside Fukuoka city, Dragon cavalry position)**

"Half off our men have been killed and all of our heavy equipment was destroyed in one fell swoop!" Xingke said to himself eyes wide at the destruction Lelouch caused.

"Zero and his Black Knights…..Just what the hell are they!" he added in astonishment.

**(Government Facility)**

"All conditions are now cleared…the only thing left to do is to check the king and we win" Lelouch said, a pleased smile on his face.

**Authors note.**

**Well there you have it, is it over, not by a long shot!**

**Lelouch's trap may have turned the tide of the battle, but if you were paying attention, you know that the enemy still has 500.000 men left and three knightmare corps, which means Lelouch, is outnumbered in terms of knightmare strength 3 to 1.**

**Next chapter the real fight begins and this is where all those months of training will show their results!**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue**


	20. Phase XX: Blackest Night Part III

Phase XX: Blackest Night Part III.

(**Honshu island main port)**

The rain had finally stopped and Cornelia quickly ordered her troops to board the ships.

"_Hang on Lelouch! Well get there and save you and your men from those Chinese bastards"_ Cornelia said in her mind as she supervised the loading of her troops, wishing if it was humanly possible for it to go faster.

(**Fukuoka city, General Tsao's command pyramid)**

Kusakabe had witnessed what happened and to say he was stunned was an understatement, after seeing the Concession collapse, and the army within it disappear beneath it all he did was stay where he was stone silent like a statue staring at the city.

He wasn't the only one; Sawasaki did the same thing as Kusakabe.

While around him general Tsao and his staff tried desperately to piece together what had just happened and figure out how much force they had left.

"Your forces are intact? Well that's the best news I've heard all year, can you see if any off our troops within the city survived?" General Tsao asked Xingke over a radio.

He then looked at the radar and saw just how many troops they had left.

"_500.000 of our soldiers remained outside the city because there wasn't enough room for them to enter and not impede the advance of the tanks and knightmares, also from Xingke reports and our thermal imagery 300.000 of those of which the settlement collapsed upon have survived….However we do not know how much of our heavy equipment survive, without knightmares, tanks or at least guns we will be like pigs to the slaughter"_ Tsao thought to himself, just then the dust started clearing which permitted the radar to pick up the Panzers and Gun Rus IFF signal.

There were approximately 800 Chinese Gun Rus and 500 Panzers that survived the collapse, the reason they survived was that they were packed together along the main highway and there was more space between the buildings along the road which went through Fukuoka.

The surviving knightmares were all stretched in a long line along the highway and the giant snake stretched from the Government facility within the Concession to the edge of the settlement, where the former Japanese ghetto was.

"_Alright! Now that I know how much heavy armor we have, we can now salvage the situation! First we withdraw from this city, we are in no condition to stop Cornelia from landing, so we must retreat to an area which favors a defensive battle…Kagoshima!...we can use the remaining three corps to act as a vanguard and retreat to Kagoshima, we should be able to get reinforcements, and although the battle is lost we could salvage the war from there!"_ Tsao thought to himself and conveyed his idea to general Frederick who approved it.

Just then Kusakabe snapped from his days, he looked at the tactical map and saw the survivors.

"Sent the survivors and the reserves forward, we must crush Zero before he counterattacks!" Kusakabe shouted in panic.

"Commander, this situation is unsalvageable! Even if we defeat him, we cannot hold the beaches against Cornelia as was our original intention, we are now trying to save this army by moving it towards Kagoshima!" General Frederick said eying Kusakabe.

Kusakabe then looked at his surrounding and saw that all the generals were eying him with malice in their eyes "_No…No…Not when I am so close to revenge! The heavens are with me, the angel they sent called V.V who gave me this holy power is proof of that! The rain was also a sign from the heavens….It cannot end like so….I WILL NOT LET IT END LIKE SO"_ Kusakabe screamed to himself in his head and then pulled out the gun and pointed it at General Frederick.

His hand was shacking and there was a look of insanity within his eyes.

"We will not run, we will fight AND WE WILL KILL ZERO!" Kusakabe said as he pointed the gun at Frederick.

Frederick calmly raised his arms and with a soothing voice said:

"Field Marshall Kusakabe, we cannot win here and if we attack what is left off our men will be all butchered so it would be wise to….."

"I DON'T CARE IF THEY ALL DIE, I DON'T CARE IF WE WIN OR LOOSE THIS WAR! ALL THAT MATTERS IS THE DEATH OF ZERO! DO YOU HEAR ME! THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS!" Kusakabe screamed like a madman.

He then took a deep breath, and with a madman's tremble in his voice said:

"Tell the men to attack Zero!" he saw that General Frederick did not comply so he cocked the gun and said it once more "Tell the men to attack Zero!" he was about to fire when a chair hit him from behind knocking him unconscious.

Frederick looked and saw that it was General Tsao who did it.

"I thank you General for your assistance!" Frederick said with a smile

"It was my pleasure!" Tsao replied with a wide grin.

"What about him?" Frederick said and he gestured to Sawasaki.

Tsao looked at him and saw that he was still in shock from the settlements' collapse, and was not aware of what had transpired here.

"Leave him, he's not even present here" Tsao replied.

"Take Kusakabe to the emergency evacuation jet from within the pyramid, the eunuchs will want someone to blame for this disaster and they will have him!" Tsao said and his orders were carried out and the staff present returned to their duties as if nothing of which what had transgressed had ever happened.

He then picked up the radio and was prepared to issue the orders for the survivors to withdraw and the necessary troop deployment for a retreat to Kagoshima, when a voice was heard which would signal their end, he looked towards the city and saw shapes appearing in the dust that was settling down.

"HEAR ME FORCES OF CHINA AND EUROPE, I AM….ZERO!" Lelouch said and the wind carried those demonic words from the loudspeakers and towards what was left of Tsao's army.

(**Slayers military base)**

"He won didn't he? War's over now isn't it?"Tamaki asked around curiously.

"Not necessarily! How a commander exploits a victory is as important and gaining that victory!" Todoh replied to Tamaki's question.

"What do you mean Todoh-san?" Ohgi asked curious.

"Lelouch's actions have tipped the scale in his favor; however the enemy has three knightmare corps who weren't in the Concession when it collapsed so the battle still hangs in the balance" Todoh answered.

"Also if Sawasaki manages to withdraw successfully he will be able to receive replacement knightmares from China and the E.U, making Lelouch's victory worthless!" Kaguya added.

"Ohhh! Man, Zero has it rough!...I feel sorry for the guy!" Tamaki replied.

"_Zero up until now has only used his cannons and long range rifled knightmares in skirmish against the enemy, his troops and knightmares will stop skirmishing and begin the real battle only now…..only now will we truly se the 'Iron Prince's power._ Kallen said in her mind.

Just then as the dust started to settle, you could see shapes appearing from the Fukuoka government concession and then a demonic voice flooded the airways.

"HEAR ME FORCES OF CHINA AND EUROPE, I AM….ZERO!" Lelouch said and the Slayers held their breaths in anticipation at what was about to follow.

**(Fukuoka city, Lelouch's position)**

"HEAR ME FORCES OF CHINA AND EUROPE, I AM….ZERO!" Lelouch said and the dust settled and him and his knightmares shape was revealed, the shape of the **Colgrevance Shinkiro** became visible (Authors note: it's basically the same Shinkiro that was seen within the series, but the major difference is that it has a round black Spartan shield with the symbol of the Black Knights on it and on its left arm and a yellow bladed , black handle thracian falx within its right arm.

"I AM A LEADER OF MEN, I HAVE WORKED HARD TO ENSURE THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN HAD A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD, PROPER FOOD ON THE TABLE, CLOSE ON THERE BACK AND A FUTURE FOR THEIR CHILDREN….BUT YOU!... YOU HORDES OF CHINA AND LEGIONS OF EUROPE HAVE COME HERE RAISING A FALSE FLAG OF EVEN FALSER FREEDOM TO BRING WAR TO THESE LANDS WHICH I HAD WORKED SO HARD TO HEAL, DESTRUCTION TO THE CITIES I PUT SO MUCH EFFORT INTO REBUILDING, AND DEATH AND MISERY TO THE PEOPLE WHICH WITH ALL MY HEART I TRIED TO IMPROVE THERE LIVES AND MAKE THEM HAPPY…YOU HAVE COME HERE TO BURN, PILAGE, STEAL, RAPE AND KILL….BUT THE ONLY RECEPTION YOU WILL RECEIVE WILL BE THAT OF IRON SWORDS AND LEAD SHOTS, JEREMIAH NOW! " Lelouch said over a pair of powerful speakers.

"Yes my lord! AL HAIL LELOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCH!" Jeremiah shouted as he piloted the Siegfried from its cover within the unsettled dust and towards the Knightmare which survived the collapse.

"Feel the power of the Black Knights! Feel the power of the Iron Prince!" Jeremiah shouted towards his enemy, and he activated the Siegfried's rotation system and he went through the surviving enemy frames like the sharp blades of grass cutter through a patch of grass, mowing them down.

"Alright! Good Job Jeremiah, now take command of the helicopters and fighter jets and together with the Siegfried destroy the enemies air power, Kewell, Viletta, Suzaku ,George and Omar with myself will take the knightmares and tanks and infantry we have and attack the two surviving knightmare corps to the west, Odysseus use your artillery to prevent the knightmare corps to the east from attacking our rear flank!" Lelouch ordered.

"Yes sir!" the above mentioned officers said and they began to carry out the orders.

The army shouted "Awhoooooooooo!" as it advanced which terrified the Chinese and Europeans, history would call this the first time the 'Black Battle Cry' was heard.

The 42nd knightmares and tanks charged forward through the path created by Jeremiah's Siegfried, they were in a giant wedge formation with Lelouch at its tip, Suzaku, George and Omar at his right and Viletta and Kewell to his left.

The enemy infantry which survived the collapse was not sparred by capture from Lelouch own infantry, and after a few moments the 42nd's heavy armor hit the two remaining armored corps like a tidal wave hits the sand grains of a beach.

**(Tokyo settlement, outside Schneizell's office)**

Despite the fact that Schneizell was outside he heard everything that transpired between Euphie and Suzaku, since he had his office bugged.

To be hones to himself he thought that Euphie's choice for a boyfriend was…decent so say the least!

Schneizell was not a racist, he saw that talent can come from almost anywhere and racism was stupid, plain and simple.

Suzaku was a West Point graduate, he was a strong and loyal knight of the empire, he was good friends to Lelouch and he was a hero to a portion of his people, if he had been born a brittannian Schneizell had no doubt that they would be engaged by now or even married.

"_Marriage huh?... Well it would ensure his loyalty to the royal family, and the children produce by such a union would surely be either mighty warriors or great leaders, when you consider who their potential parents are!"_ Schneizell said in his mind, but his small game of playing matchmaker was interrupted by recent news of Fukuoka brought to him by Cannon.

"Lelouch really did all that?" Schneizell asked eyes wide in surprise at what he just heard.

"Yes sir! With that trap we estimate that he has killed almost 300.000 enemy soldiers and 90% of their infantry, the battle now is entering its final phase" Cannon replied.

At this Schneizell smiled and walked away.

"Were you going my lord?" Bartley asked.

"To bed Bartley, the battle is already over, Lelouch will win, so I suggest you do the same and go get some rest, and we will have a busy day tomorrow!" Schneizell said and went to his room.

**(Fukuoka city)**

The final battle began and this brought Sawasaki from his dazed state and he witnessed the onslaught.

Suzaku stabbed on knightmare in the chest with the MASSER sword in his right arm and then activated the shield within his left arm and hit a second one from downward up smashing it to pieces, and he kept the shield activated and continued fighting like a Spartan warrior.

He advanced forward like single plow through a field of snow, Lelouch and the rest of the knightmares followed behind him, cutting down whatever frames escaped his blade.

Suzaku stabbed another knightmare and it collapsed to the ground, a Gun Ru charged him and landed on his energy shield,he used his shield to throw him over his back, he passed two more Gun Rus when a Panzer jumped at him, he blocked the Panzers strike with his shield and moved one, letting his comrades finish it, he then stabbed another Panzer which was in front of him right between the legs, cutting it in two and it fell to the ground, a Gun Ru charged him and tried to hit him with a blow from above, but he blocked it with his shield, spun around to the left and sliced a second Gun Ru which was behind the first with his sword, he raised his sword, moved it upwards and back to the left, and arched his body accordingly, and then swung his sword like a baseball bat and sliced in half two enemy frames, a third frame tried to cut him, but he blocked the blow with his shield and sliced both legs of the third frame.

Suzaku then saw that the next wave of enemy's was a few feet away and hurled his sword against one of them and hit one Panzer in the neck area, the Panzer falling down from the force of the blow dragged down with him to the ground another panzer which was to close enough to the first.

Suzaku quickly recovered his blade, he saw that a Gun Ru charged him, so he crouched down, covered himself with his shield and rolled the enemy knightmare over him, it fell behind him were Lelouch finished him off with a blow from his falx.

A Panzer then jumped in front of him and tried to crush him, but Suzaku stopped, let him land in front of him, blocked a blow from his right arm and cut off his left arm, the force of Suzaku's blade made the enemy frame fall forward and into the ground.

With his right arm moved to the left he then quickly swung it to the right slicing in half a Gun RU which was in front of him and he continued his advance with the others close behind.

Another Panzer this time tried to stab him with his arms right bayonet, but he deflected the blow with his sword, rolled his body to the left again and smashed an advancing Panzer with his energy shield.

He then swung his sword to the right and sliced from behind a Gun Ru which was to his right side, a second Gun Ru came up from behind the first and Suzaku blocked his blow with his sword, leaned slightly to the left and then cut off the second Gun Ru's right leg making it crash to the ground.

A third Gun Ru came up from behind the second and Suzaku swung his body around once more and smashed it with his shield.

Just then Lelouch block a blow from a Panzer and cut off its head, he then saw that half of the knightmare from the western Corps had been destroyed, and the other half were 100 meters away, he quickly ordered his men to advance upon the remaining half.

**(Xingke position, eastern part of the city)**

Xingke was moving his forces around the south of the city, so they could participate in the battle and help their allies, but unfortunately for him Odysseus's artillery was doing a great job in depleting their numbers and slowing down their advance.

Just then a transmission was received for Xingke.

"General Li stop your current movements at once and get move your army back to Saga province for evacuation" General Tsao ordered.

"But sir we cannot abandon the main army like this!" Li protested.

"The main army is already lost! Zero has destroyed the surviving knightmares from the collapse and has cut down half of the knightmares of the two remaining corps…it's only a matter of time before the destroys what's left..so you see this army is now lost! Your army is the only one which can now escape 'The Iron Prince' , also….also you are a good leader Li….you shouldn't have to pay the price for Kusakabe's idiocy, and we will need all the good men we have after this disaster! I will stay here and try to buy you some time, so you can escape!" Tsao replied.

That made Li eyes grow wide in admiration, despite general Tsao being from a noble family and a supporter of the Eunuchs, which meant he would one day be Li's enemy, Li could tell he was a good an honorable man.

"Understood! And general….It has been an honor serving under your command!" Li replied and he was sincere, and he then led his men back to Saga prefecture for evacuation, but as he went he looked back towards general Tsao position in regret that he had to abandon such a man to the enemy.

**(General Tsao's command pyramid)**

"Zero, you claim you are a friend of the Japanese people, why are you fighting to prevent them a better future!" Sawasaki said over the comm.'s desperately trying to persuade him to stop.

"Prevent them a better future? I have rebuilt their homes, gave them back their livelihood and am working against the number system; all you have done was bring meaningless destruction and death to these lands." Lelouch calmly replied, unfazed by Sawasaki's comments and he hurled his shield at one Panzer disabling it, the shield had a cable attached to it, so Lelouch brought the shield back to his grip

"Meaningless! I'm doing this for Japan's sake!" Sawasaki angrily replied.

"Sawasaki-san, why did you escape to the Chinese Federation if you are doing it for Japan's sake? You should have stayed for the sake of everyone!" Suzaku asked him accusingly.

"You brat!" Sawasaki yelled out in frustration and anger.

Tsao had just got off the phone with Xingke and he saw on the tactical map that the assault on the remaining half of their knightmares had begun.

"General Frederick, you and your staff should evacuate and leave immediately!" Tsao advised him.

"What! We cannot abandon you like this General Tsao, come with us! You are not responsible for this disaster" Frederick protested.

"I cannot! The army which will inevitably be captured are my soldiers, and a true commander dies with his men! But you! You general have seen Lelouch and know just how big of a threat he is, journey back to your country and warn them, do not worry about me! I am a high ranking general, my country will pay a ransom and I will go free! Also I know it's a burden but could you take Sawasaki and Kusakabe back to China on your way to Europe?" Tsao replied.

"Yes sir….God be with you General!" Frederick replied and saluted the other officers present did the same and they left and fulfilled Tsao request.

Alone now in the command center, Tsao looked out and saw that the knightmares had been almost entirely destroyed.

He picked up a radio transmitter and broadcasted.

"This is general Tsao! I…..surrender!" to the enemy in front of him, but he also secretly broadcasted a retreat order to the infantry which were not engaged hoping that as many as possible will teach Saga.

He then moved toward the screen and watched as the enemy cheered their victory.

"_A true soldier looks death and defeat in the eye when it comes to claim him!...We could have bypassed the city, defeated Cornelia and even win the war!...We had superior forces, but we also had Kusakabe with us….."_ Tsao mentally lamented to himself as he watched the approaching Sutherlands

**(Sword of Akasha)**

"Ha ha ha ha ha haaaaaaaaaaa! He did it, he actually did it!"Charles laughed with pride and joy at his son's accomplishments.

He then quickly continued to view the monitor and waited for the grand finally.

**(Outside general Tsao's command pyramid)**

Patton and his battalion were using the same Spartan fighting technique that Suzaku had employed and were turning the remaining knightmares into mince meat.

Patton had pinned a Panzer to the ground, placed his foot over the knightmares torso and the with one slash of his sword cut off both heads.

A second Panzer charged him and tried to slash his head with his bayonet, but George ducked and sliced the Panzer across his torso, a Gun Ru then came from behind, he quickly turned and blocked the blow with the energy shield on his left arm and slashed the knightmares chest cutting it in two and making it fall to the ground.

A second Gun Ru came at him and tried to hit his head, but he ducked, went past the second knightmare and stabbed a third Gun Ru which was behind the second, he then turned around and stabbed the above mentioned second Gun Ru as to tried to attack George from behind.

A Panzer then came from his left side, he turned , dodged its bullets and sliced of one of its heads, disabling it, a second panzer came from behind the one he disabled, tried to slash Patton, he blocked the blow with his shield, and then rotated his body backwards and to the left ,and he cut off both heads with a slash from behind the Panzer.

A Gun Ru then attacked him from his right side, George blocked the blow with his shield, he then tried to slash the Gun Ru's head, but surprisingly the pilot managed to duck down and avoid the blow, the enemy knightmare then got up, tried a forward stab into George's head, but George sliced off its arm as it tried to do so, and then finished the frame with a stab in the head.

A second Gun Ru came from in front of him, it tried to shoot at him, but George ducked and sliced off its legs, he then got back on his feet, jumped a little up and sliced a second Gun Ru in half, from the left came fire from a Panzer but he blocked it with his shield and slashed it across the torso destroying it.

George noticed that he was now back to back with Omar.

"You still here?"George jokingly asked Omar.

"Somebody's got to watch your back!" Omar replied, enemy knightmares attacked them again and both of them went to confront them.

"Not know I'm a little busy!" George replied and he slashed an enemy frame.

One Gun Ru came at Omar, he slashed it with his sword severing it in half, a second frame came at Omar's right, he stabbed it in the head making it collapse, behind him, George ducked to dodge a slash from a Panzer and he stabbed it in the stomach forcing the pilot to eject.

Another Panzer then came for Omar, but he blocked the blow with his shield and slashed it with his sword, behind him George also slashed a Gun Ru to his right, and smashed the head of a Panzer with his energy shield.

The finished the knightmares that were around them and both charged another group of enemies, they both blocked their respective foes blows, with their shields, both then turned their bodies 360 degrees around and slashed their opponents which exploded upon impact.

Just then George looked and Omar and saw an Gun Ru about to hit him from behind, Omar saw the same thing was about to happen to George from a Panzer , so both men threw their swords at the opponents behind their comrade and both the Gun Ru and the Panzer exploded.

The enemy was dead.

"I got more than you did!" George said suddenly to Omar.

"Says who!" Omar replied, just then they noticed that the enemy knightmare survivors had gathered into a semicircle around the pyramid, there were about 17-20 enemy frames remaining, the ones which Suzaku , George and Omar Didn't get were killed by the other Sutherlands.

"Well Brad, the only way to settle this is with a sudden-death round!" George said and both himself and Bradley marched towards what remained of the enemy frames.

Only to be stooped by what looked like an evacuation helicopter that suddenly exited the pyramid and left the battlefield, jus then the voice of Tsao was heard.

"This is general Tsao! I…..surrender!" and at this Lelouch poped open the top of his frames cockpit, raised himself to a standing position and said:

"Gentleman, the day is ours!" at which his warriors replied with cheers and hurrahs at their great victory.

Just then George came up to Lelouch and said:

"Sir, I have just detected a secret order to the enemy infantry which is around us, Tsao has told them to make a run for Saga!".

"I see, take 250 frames and prevent that!" Lelouch said to George which caught him off guard.

"Well what are you waiting for? Hurled your wolves at them and round all the sheep…now go on, go on, they won't stand!" Lelouch said to George.

"Y-Yes sir! All knightmare batallions except Lancelot Squadron and Royal guards, this is Major Patton, we have order to round up the enemy infantry which is escaping…let's get them boys! Awhooooooooooooo!" George shouted and he charged to catch them like a real wolf charges after defenseless sheep.

Lelouch, victory was now complete, but the night was not yet over!

**Authors note:**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue?**


	21. Phase XXI: Blackest Night Part IV

Phase XXI: Blackest Night Part IV

**(Fukuoka city)**

The rain which had plagued Cornelia in Honshu had by now reached Fukuoka, and was washing away the blood from the battlefield.

"_Great rain usually falls after great battle" _Lelouch said in his mind.

The victory was now total, Lelouch looked over the landscape and saw that George had rounded up all of the enemies infantry; the battle casualties were as followed:

The Black Knights started with a force of 50.000 men, 300 knightmares 500 tanks,600 cannons 200 helicopters and 150 fighter jets.

Sawasaki army started with a force off 900.000 Chinese and 300.000 European men, 4000 Gun Ru and 2000 Panzer Hummels, 5.000 tanks, 9.000 guns 2.500 helicopters and 2.000 fighter jets.

By the end of the battle the casualty list was as follows.

Black knights 2.000 dead, 8.000 wounded, 25 knightmares,80 tanks, 20 guns, 50 helicopters and 17 fighter jets.

Sawasaki expedition: 100.000 dead, 1.150.000 captured, 5.980 knightmares destroyed, 4.000 tanks captured by the enemy, 5.000 guns captured by the enemy, 2.000 helicopters destroyed, 1.500 fighters shot down.

Thirty minutes latter,Lelouch was sitting at a round table within Fukuoka Government facility, around that table Suzaku, Jeremiah, Viletta, George and Omar were also seated.

A smug expression was on their faces, one that was also present on the faces of Lelouch' soldiers, for he knew that what they did today is one of the greatest military feats ever achieved in modern warfare, perhaps the greatest military victory the world has ever known or will ever know.

And now like the kings of old which rewarded their knights with titles and a coat of arms it was Lelouch turn to do the same.

"Jeremiah, from the Siegfried's battle report I take it that you are responsible for 98 % of enemy air casualties?" Lelouch asked his second in command.

"Yes sir! The enemy helicopters and jets upon seeing the Siegfried immediately concentrated the majority of their fire power upon my frame, my shields however somehow managed to withstand the near endless barrage and I destroyed them using the spinning attack and the giant slash harkens!" Jeremiah replied, which sounded more like boasting than presenting a field report, but Lelouch did not mind, he actually enjoyed hearing a subordinate boast of achieving results.

"You truly are a valiant warrior, I was right to name you my knight!" Lelouch complemented him and Jeremiah face was filled with appreciation and he almost cried from sheer joy.

"Kewell, Viletta, George and Omar I had read your frames battle report and besides performing on a scale of one to ten, ten each of you I have noticed that each one of you has killed personally at least 50 to 80 enemy frames each, I have to say even I am impressed!" Lelouch said to the before mentioned officers and they all said thank you for his praise and that he overestimated their worth.

"But I see that Suzaku is top gun, during the baiting of the enemy and after springing the trap he in all has destroyed 298 enemy frames by himself, well done old fried!" Lelouch said and he clapped his hands in applause, the others followed suit and Suzaku blushed slightly and rubbed his head in embarrassment at their appreciation.

After the clapping died down Lelouch continued.

"And Last, but not in the least we have our prodigy of an artillery commander!" Lelouch said and he gestured to Odysseus.

"Who? Me? Surely you're joking general, I am no prodigy!" Odysseus replied, and when compared to Lelouch, Schneizell or even Cornelia it was true, but just as Lelouch stated before when it came to artillery he doubted that he himself would have done a better job than Odysseus did just now.

"Nonsense! Your cannons knocked out 100.000 enemy infantry and over 1.000 enemy knightmares, such a feat could not have been possible without a skilled commander leading the cannons….you under estimate yourself Colonel!" Lelouch replied to a Odysseus who like Suzaku was very much embarrassed by the high praise the received.

"And now it's time for rewards!" Lelouch said and he placed the MASSER katana in front of Suzaku, the MASSER sword in front of Jeremiah, and to George, Viletta, Bradley, Odysseus and Kewell he gave each a VARIS gun.

"Those of you who received pistols note that the handguns you received are miniature VARIS rifles, like how the Lancelot has, it is the same model as the one I used to destroy those seven Gun Rus when the battle was starting, and those of you who have received swords, those swords are actually MASER Blades like the ones the Lancelot has" Lelouch replied and those present looked with awe at the fantabulous gifts they just received.

"I figured if you Jeremiah and you Suzaku were going to be knights to Euphie and myself, then you would require proper swords, not those dull edge butter knifes they gave you for show….and as for the rest of you, I want you people to know that during Narita I found myself with a destroyed knightmare and facing a Burai with my handgun as my only weapon…..I can admit without an ounce off shame that during that moment I was never more scared in my life, and I don't want myself or any of my subordinates to find themselves in such a situation" Lelouch replied.

From what they just heard those present became even more loyal to Lelouch if that was even possible, after Siberia and for Omar and Bradley Fukuoka they developed an almost fanatical devotion to Lelouch, that combined with the Lancelots he gave to them, the personal weapons he presented them with which no doubt cost somewhere between 1 and 100 million pounds, would ensure that they would remain loyal to him until he lead them to ultimate victory or until they would be all dead.

Lelouch knew that from their expression and was pleased since he managed to become 'A Prince worth dying for'.

He then looked at his watch and saw that midnight had just gone and passed.

"_Devil's night is over….but this blackest night is not yet finished!"_ Lelouch said as he looked at his watch.

"Now I want all of you to get a good night's sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow, also Jeremiah, I am sorry about this, but I require your help with the report could you please stay and help me?" Lelouch said to his men and asked Jeremiah.

"Of course my lord!" Jeremiah said without a moment of hesitation, and the others went to bed.

After they left Lelouch turned to Jeremiah with a serious expression on his face, Jeremiah could tell from his years in the army that his master did not need help with the report, but was going to say to him something which the others weren't suppose to hear.

"Jeremiah, if I gave you and order which would be against everything we stand for, would you do it?" Lelouch asked with a serious tone in his voice.

"Without a moment's hesitation sire!" Jeremiah responded immediately and was certain that he was going to be ordered to assassinate someone, he only prayed that it would not be someone he knew.

"Our reports have confirmed that one Chinese corps called the 'Dragon Cavalry' is still out there, also after the battle we captured 19 enemy Gun Rus, now here's what I want you to do" Lelouch said as he pulled out a small notebook from his shirts inner pocket and gave it to Jeremiah.

"Within this notebook there are the addresses of various companies, factories and businesses within Kyushu, all of which belong to the various nobles who oppose me here in Japan, it will take Cornelia two days to arrive in Kyushu, so here's what I want you to do!" Lelouch paused and Jeremiah prepared himself mentally for his of the record task.

"I want you to take the captured Gun Rus and destroy the companies listed within the notebook, and make it look like deserters from Xingke's army did it!" Lelouch said to him, and immediately Jeremiahs expression went from a nervous state to one of calmness and then of joy.

"So that means with this all those sons of bitches which have always made us take one step forward and three steps back will go bankrupt and penniless! I have to say sire that doing this is like receiving and early Christmas present combined with a birthday one on the same day!" Jeremiah replied happily.

"Brigadier Gotwald, I have no idea what you are talking about…I ask you to remain here so you could help me with the reports….I see that you finished early so you are dismissed." Lelouch said with a wide grin, Jeremiah understood the hint without the need for time to think, grinned, gave Lelouch a salute and exited the office.

Once he was outside and he closed the door, he immediately leaned his back against the door, closed his eyes, and let out a long breath of relief.

"_For a moment I thought he was going to ask me to kill the nobles which owned the companies…..other members of the royal family would not hesitate to make use of the chaos which emerges from war to kill their enemies, my master only wants to leave them powerless…..I am fortunate to have such a merciful prince to serve!"_ Jeremiah said to himself and he immediately opened the notebook to take a look over the list of companies he had to destroy so he could plot his route, he then made his way towards the pilot quarters and from there he would make his way towards the captured Gun Rus.

As he walked towards there, he saw on the note book the various companies, addresses and owners, if the Battle had been the main course, then there could not be a sweeter desert than this, at least to Jeremiah.

Meanwhile back in his office Lelouch, was busy finishing the battle report, in the three months he had come to know Jeremiah he was certain that the only one who rivaled him in loyalty towards Lelouch was Suzaku perhaps.

He finished with the report and the decided to phone Nunnally and his friends had not heard high nor hare of him for almost three days and he decided he needed to put their worries to rest.

"Hello Rivals, this is Lelouch"

….

After Lelouch finished the conversation he decided to go and see how his troops were faring now that the battle was over.

(**Ashford Academy)**

Millie, Shirley and Rivals had been working late within the student council room, Shirley had conveyed her worried to them and now they shared their views on concern for their friend, especially Millie, since she knew that Lelouch was Zero he would be on the front lines and was in danger of getting killed.

Just then Rivals phone rang.

"Hello? Lelouch!" Rivals said jumping up from his seat.

"Millie, Shirley it's Lelouch" Rivals said to them and both girls jumped just like rivals.

"aha…..ehe….no way!...he did…..well that's amazing….okay see you later!" Rivals said and he hang up the phone.

"Well what just happened? Is he alright? Is he injured, is Suzaku alright?" Shirley asked frantically.

"He's fine Shirley! Also brace yourself…..Zero won!" Rivals said with glee.

"What do you mean?" Millie asked.

"I mean he was outnumbered like fifty to one, the battle started and the 'Iron Prince' won the battle, Lelouch said that they also captured over one million enemy soldiers!" Rivals replied.

"Well that's all fine and dandy, but what about Lelouch? When is he coming home?" Shirley asked in the manner in which a wife inquires about the date of her husband's return from a business trip.

This what not unnoticed by Millie.

"He said that he was needed and that he would be back in two days time" Rivals replied.

"Well…until then we have to make sure you upgrade your weaponry Shirley for a proper assault!" Millie said and she gestured towards Shirley's breasts.

Noticing this Shirley covered herself up, blushed and said.

"Stop it madam president, also what do you mean by ' for a proper assault'?" she asked confused.

"Well you see Lelouch had just been on a field of war, men who survive battle generally want to celebrate life after such a experience…and usually within the company of a lady!" Millie said and grinned and once Shirley understood this blushed like crazy.

"You first date may not have gone well, but do not despair…you can still win the day if you mount a secondary full scale offensive..do you understand?" Millie said with a mischievous smile.

Shirley nodded albeit hesitantly in agreement.

Rivals who was still in the room could not believe the scene he had just saw, it was like mixing the battle scene from the movie 'Patton' and the love scene from Casablanca, and the strange thing was that what he just saw was…actually a pretty good scene.

Love and war were after all two sides of the same coin.

(**Fukuoka city, Kewell's private quarters)**

"Yes, yes I understand!...Yes, I know what happens to those who fail!" Kewell said over the phone and after a few more words from the person on the other side he hanged it up.

"_What should I do? I owe my allegiance to two masters…which one do I serve and which one do I abandon?" _Kewell pondered in his mind, how he got himself in such a conflict only he himself was to blame and pretty soon, he would have to make a choice, one that could change everything.

The gravity of the dilemma he was now facing was enormous and he buried his head in his arms in frustration, confusion and fear of the future.

(**Streets of Fukuoka city)**

"_Amazing! Simply amazing, outnumbered almost 30 to one, isolated, with no hope of reinforcements and he somehow managed to not only defeat the enemy army, but also capture it whole and with relatively light casualties!"_ Diethard said to himself as he walked the streets of Fukuoka, he was recording the after effect of the great battle, when from around a corner he saw and filmed a scene which he himself did not expect to film in his life.

Ten Black knights who were a mixture of brittannians, Mexicans, Canadians, and Japanese who were on patrol duty were guarding one of the western entrances to the city and were huddled around a fire which was shielded from the rain by a beach umbrella.

After the three months of training and tonight's battle bonds of camaraderie were formed between Lelouch soldiers and they were now at a point were when they looked at each other they didn't see brittannians, honorary brittannians or numbers, they just saw comrades who would be certain to watch your back and you would watch his.

Some were playing card games, other enjoying tee and a hot dinner, while some brittannian tried to learn Mexican, some Mexican tried to learn some Japanese and so on and so on.

That scene in itself was something of which you never through you'd see in Brittannia, one of citizens and numbers sitting together, eating together, laughing together and treating each other as equals.

"_I'll win and Emmy award for this scene for sure!"_ Diethard said to himself.

Just then something happened which seemed even more astounding than the above mentioned scene, Lelouch in his Zero costume came up to the soldiers huddled around the fire.

"Your majesty!" the squads sergeant said as they all snapped to attention and saluted.

"At ease soldiers! I told you that this is not the royal court so you are to address me as general, commander or sir, also you call a prince your highness, your majesty is reserved for the king and him alone" Lelouch corrected the soldiers.

"Yes sir! Begging your pardon sir!" the sergeant nervously replied.

"Think nothing of it! By the way how's the western front been?" Lelouch inquired although with the radar system he had at headquarters he knew that everything was OK.

"All quiet on the western front sir! Not a sign of the enemy!" the sergeant replied, he somehow eased up his tension.

"That's good to know sergeant! By the way how are you boys faring? Do you require anything? Food? Clothing? Medicine? "Lelouch asked and he was sincere in his concern for his men.

"Well, the boys and I would do anything for some tobacco sir!" the sergeant replied.

Lelouch hearing that remembered that he still had half a pack of cigars in his pocket and her took it out.

"Here! I'm afraid it's only half a pack!" he said as he handed the pack to the sergeant and he took it hesitantly, his hands shaking with nervousness.

Looking behind him Lelouch saw that one Japanese soldier which looked like he was in his late twenties was covering himself up with a torn rain cloak.

Lelouch walked up to him and asked.

"What happened to your rain cloak soldier?" Lelouch asked.

"Well sir, I couldn't move well in it during the fight so I took it off and left it somewhere and after the battle was over I founded like this torn to shreds!" The soldier replied, Lelouch could tell he was trembling from the clod and could catch pneumonia and die.

He then took of his cloak, placed it in one hand and said to the soldier. "I'll trade you my cloak for your!".

"What! Oh…oh no I….I couldn't dream of doing something like that sir!" the panicked soldier said.

"Private Kan Naoto! (Lelouch knew his name all soldiers had their names written on their uniforms) you are going to bet wet to the bone in that cloak and you might catch pneumonia and as your commander I cannot allow that..now give me your cloak and I will give you mine, you may consider it an order if you'd like." Lelouch replied.

After that kind of answer all Naoto could do was slowly but surely and with much hesitation exchange cloaks with Lelouch.

Private Kan put on his body Lelouch's expensive, silk and velvet cloak, which was comfortable, pleasant to the touch and very warm , while Lelouch put on his body the ragged rain cloak, Lelouch wasn't fazed by this, his clothes were all rainproof so the change of cloaks didn't affect him the slightest.

"If there is anything else you lack please do not hesitate to inform me!" Lelouch said to the platoon gathered around him, he then shook hands with each one off the soldiers present and took his leave, he took a few steps forward when one soldier stooped him with a question.

"Will you be all right in that ragged cloak general?"

At this Lelouch looked back over his shoulder and said.

"I think of the comfort of my men, before my personal one, if all of my soldiers have everything they need then I am also with everything I need" he said to the now awe struck soldiers who looked at him like a once dying man looked at a doctor who miraculously cured him, Lelouch then took his leave, leaving the awe struck soldiers alone too admire the cloak he gave Naoto.

From around his corner Diethard could barely keep silent his excitement at what he just witnessed.

"_To hell with the Emmy's, this story will be my magnum opus! My Civil War TV documentary, My 'Bohemian Rhapsody' song, this is what I will be remembered for"_ Diethard said in his head.

**(Ashford Academy, Nunnally bed chamber)**

Since Lelouch called her two days ago to tell her about the battle Nunnally had kept the phone in her hand, she waited desperately for Lelouch's reply that he was alright, during this wait the minutes appeared to be days and the hours seemed like years gone by.

She considered giving Lelouch a phone call, but the though then struck her that if he was in combat, her call could distract him and that distraction could possibly cost him his life.

That though filled her with terror, so she refrained from doing so and waited with the cell phone in her hands for the message which would tell her if she should rejoice or if she should be saddened.

After two days of waiting the phone finally rang, Nunnally heart skipped a beat when she heard this, she hesitated for a moment to answer it, fearing the news she may receive.

She gathered all her courage and answer the phone and for a moment for Nunnally time stopped, then she heard Lelouch's voice on the other end of the phone and time resumed its course.

Lelouch told her how other's were all right, how they won the battle and then started to go into detail about the victory's significance, and how he intended to exploit it, but that did not matter to Nunnally, the only thing that mattered was that her brothers, Suzaku and his friends were all right.

From her eyes tears of joy streamed down her cheeks and she listened happily to her brother over the phone.

**(Fukuoka city)**

After Lelouch gave Nunnally a call, he himself received a phone call it was from Cornelia.

"Lelouch! I am receiving reports that you somehow managed not only to defeat the Chinese and Europeans but also capture the whole enemy army..is this true!" Cornelia asked astounded.

"Yes sister, it's true, I will give you the full report when you arrive here in two days time!" Lelouch replied with a chuckle.

"A…al right..but tell me, did you really capture the whole enemy army?" Cornelia asked curious.

"Every enemy except one knightmare corps whose commander saw through my trap, someone called Li…Xingke I think, they are still on the prowl so I would greatly appreciate it if you'd still bring your army to Kyushu block sister!" Lelouch replied, Cornelia momentarily shocked by Lelouch great victory agreed and the phone conversation ended.

Lelouch then saw that a few feet before him was Suzaku, surveying the landscape with his binoculars.

He walked up to him and said:

"What are you doing here Suzaku? I thought I told you to get some sleep!"

"Oh, hey Lelouch" Suzaku saw that they were alone so he decided that it would be OK to be informal.

"I just…Xingke still out there and it worries me!" Suzaku said and stole a glance at the landscape once more.

"Don't worry about him old friend, his main concern is reaching Saga and escaping…besides…Cornelia will be here in two days time, so I suggest you g et some sleep, with you being Euphie's boyfriend , you're going to need it!" Lelouch said jokingly, which caused Suzaku to blush slightly.

"O…ok!" Suzaku was prepared to go to bed but was stop by an arm on the shoulder from Lelouch.

"Oh and by the way, if you break Euphie's heart….Cornelia will break yours! And I am serious, she will rip in out of your chest and crush it like she crushes walnuts' with her bare hands, I've seen her doing it before!" Lelouch said to him and he had a serious tone in his voice, whether he referred to the act of crushing a human heart or a walnut when he mentioned that he witnessed it he did not make it clear, ambiguity had its own charm, but the desired effect was achieved and Suzaku understood what he meant and went to bed with a worried expression on his face about his future love life.

A few moments after Lelouch talked with Suzaku he received another call on his cell phone.

"Your highness, there is something I must inform you off" the person calling said.

"Of course Lord Bismarck, what is it?" Lelouch replied.

**(Slayers military base)**

The battle had not been over for hours, but the Slayers still continued to watch their hidden camera footage with the fanaticism of star trek fans combined with the durability of star wars fans.

Their enormous 80 inch screen was divided into several smaller frames.

After a few hours of viewing troops recuperating after the battle, they saw that Zero approached a isolated position, the camera who picked it up was in the middle of the TV screen.

"What's he doing?" Ohgi asked.

Zero just stood there for while looking into the direction of the hidden camera, when all of a sudden he turned his head to the right, raised his right arm, and then quickly lowered it down and when he did the TV images on the left side of the Slayers TV screen all of a sudden went blank.

This caused everyone in the room to jump up from their seats in surprise.

"What the hell!" Tamaki shouted shocked at what just happened.

"He… found out that we were watching all this time!"Kallen said just as shocked.

Just then Zero turned his head to the left raised his left arm, let it drop and the images on the right side of the screen disappeared, the only thing that was left was the middle image which showed Zero.

"No, he knew we were watching all along!" Kaguya said after figuring it out.

"He let us view the battle, because it was like saying 'I am the Niddhog, behold my power and tremble'" Todoh added and what Lelouch just did to the screen scared him more than what he did to Sawasaki's army.

Lelouch then turned around, and once he was with his back to the camera, he then took both arms to his helmet and removed it from his head, you couldn't see his face since he had his back turned to the camera, the only thing you could see was the fact that Lelouch hair color was dark black, since he wasn't wearing his cloak.

Needless to say every slayer then jumped to the screen and glued their eye to it, trying to get a glance of his face.

Lelouch then moved his right arm to his right in a manner in which his finger were clearly visible and said:

"This concludes today's broadcast." He then snapped his fingers and the screen went blank.

**Authors note:**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue.**

**Also next chapter title is "At midnight all mask fall of"**


	22. PhaseXXII:At midnight all masks fall off

Phase XXII: At midnight all masks fall off.

**(Royal family private transport plane)**

October 31, 14:00 hours.

Lelouch had just boarded the private plane which was sent to transport him to Pendragon.

Last night around 1 in the morning Bismarck had told him that for his great victory, the emperor wished to reward him, so he sent his personal jet to fetch him, he also maintained that he would also reward his lieutenants, but that will be done later, the reason his father wanted to reward him so fast was a mystery to Lelouch.

"_Guess will find out when I reach the mainland"_ Lelouch thought to himself and fell asleep in his chair.

**(Slayers military facility)**

"Well what do we do now? Do we start the revolution?" Sugiyama asked curious.

"No! The plan was to trigger it when Cornelia's army would be heavily engaged with Sawasaki's forces on the beach, if we did it now, it would surely end with our annihilation!" Todoh replied.

"So what do we do now?" Tamaki asked curious.

"The only thing we can do now with the presence of Cornelia's 8th army is to lie low, for now we will continue to gather strength, the brittannians will make a mistake one day and then we will exploit it!" Kaguya proclaimed and that restored everyone's fighting spirits.

Kallen forced a fake smile of assurance, but inside she was at turmoil.

"_With leaders like Zero, Cornelia and Schneizell will the day in which Brittannia makes a mistake ever come?"_ she pondered in her head, after what happened only a few hours ago she also wondered if they could prevail against Lelouch, or would just be an annoyance.

**(Fukuoka city, 42****nd**** headquarters)**

Kewell had written two letters of resignation to both his masters, he could not serve the one he spoke on the phone with since he no longer believed in him and his philosophy, and he could not face Prince Lelouch since he was sure he found out about Kewell's treachery he would no doubt kill him himself, after what Kewell was he would have done the same.

He then prepared to mail the letters; it would take a few days for them to reach their respective destination.

**(Ashford Academy)**

**11: 55 pm**

Rivals, Millie, Nina and Shirley were pulling another all night work session, with the invasion they decided to postpone the scheduled masked ball from today to a week from today.

"Please excuse me, I have to go the ladies room to freshen up!" Shirley replied and left the room.

"Hey guys look at what their broadcasting!" Rivals said to them and he turned the volume up.

On the TV the image of the Emperor sitting on his throne surrounded by the nobility of Pendragon was broadcasted.

The subtitles said ' that the emperor had summoned his son Prince Lelouch to reward him for the great victory he obtained last night.

"_Man! I wish Lelouch was here so we could view it together!"_ Rivals said to himself mentally.

(**Imperial palace throne room)**

"His Imperial Highness Major General Lelouch vi Brittannia!" the chamberlain announced, and Lelouch entered the room.

Silence then reigned over the room, usually when a conquering general returned home and was received by the emperor the nobility would applaud him as he entered.

"_Even with my great victory you still refuse to acknowledge me as an equal at least…you still only see me as the bastard child of a commoner whore!"_ Lelouch thought to himself and the silent reception he received was proof of that.

"_You'd better pray I never become emperor, cause if I do I will confiscate all of your wealth and leave all of you parasites poorer than beggars!" _Lelouch thought as he made his way to the throne, the nonility did not clap, but they did however bow their heads, from fear of his power rather than respect of his person.

Lelouch then reached the designated distance which a returning general is to be from his lord, saluted with a wave of his cape and got down on one knee and said.

"Major General Lelouch vi Brittannia reporting for duty!"

"Arise my son!" Charles said and Lelouch complied.

Charles then got up from his throne and clapped his hands, a pair of servants came to Lelouch carrying a large wooden case.

"Open it!" Charles told his son.

Lelouch complied and what he saw made his eyes go wide in amazement.

Within the case was a beautiful crimson double edged saber, Lelouch took the saber out of its case and admired its beauty and craftsmanship.

"A great sword for a great general!" Charles said with a chuckle.

"I thank you my lord!" Lelouch replied and gave a slight bow of the head and it was the first time in his life he was actually grateful to his father.

"However.. I think the title of major general does not suit you, so I will give you another one!" Charles said and he gestured towards the servants to bring him something.

"_Is he going to promote me to Lieutenant general? Or perhaps make a member of the general staff?"_ Lelouch thought in his mind.

Charles then saw that his servants had returned with what he gestured him to get, took a few steps towards them, took what they brought, turned back to Lelouch and said.

"I Charles zi Brittannia in recognition of your enormous contribution to the Army of the Empire award you, my son Lelouch vi Brittannia the power, stile and title of Field Marshall!".

"_No!...not that….anything but that!"_ Lelouch thought to himself in horror, for it was customary when a field marshal was created the respective person received a crown of olive branches, this dated back to the time of Eowin, who after his victory over Caesar he wore Caesar's golden olive branch crown as a war prize.

But what terrified Lelouch was the fact that for him to receive the crown he would have took take of his helmet and since he saw that TV Cameras were broadcasting it to the world, the whole planet would now know the secret which he tried so hard to keep, his face!

He looked at the crown that Charles was holding in his hands and in a desperate attempt to avoid such fate he quickly got down on his knees and said the following in a desperate attempt to protect his secret.

"Your majesty, forgive me…but I cannot accept your generous reward for I feel that I am unworthy o such a magnanimous reward!" the words came out of Lelouch's mouth in a manner in which a man begged for mercy rather than express modesty.

"Nonsense! You have achieved a feat of such greatnesses last night that would dwarf Eowin himself! If you are not worthy of a miserable field marshals commission, then I do not know who is!" Charles replied and his voice was filled with amazement at Lelouch's modesty, false amazement, which Lelouch did not fail to recognize.

"Now remove your helmet, and receive your reward!" Charles said with a smile on his lips.

Lelouch then looked angrily from within the protective gaze of his helmet and then the sudden realization behind the emperor's motivation had become obvious.

"_A test of loyalty! This is what this all is! He wants me to prove my loyalty by forfeiting my greatest secret!" _he angrily said in his mind.

He then looked at his father who was looking down on him and the snicker on his face transmitted the following message to Lelouch:

"_You understand now don't you my son!"_

(**Slayers military base)**

"Hey guys come quickly! The Iron Prince is about to unmask himself on TV before the emperor!" Tamaki said and everyone rushed to the TV.

(**Ashford Academy, Nunnally's room)**

Nunnally was listening on the radio what was happening between her brother and father and grabbed Sayoko's arm for courage, she knew that Lelouch had donned that mask and hidden his face so as to give her a normal life outside the circles of the nobility.

It did not bother her that her father decided that was no longer necessary, but she hoped that it would not affect her brother too much, so she tightened her grip on Sayoko's hand and waited for the inevitable.

**(Brittannian 12****th**** fleet)**

"How could father do something like this!" Cornelia shouted to Guilford and Darlton.

Cornelia knew just how much effort Lelouch put into keeping his face secret from the public, she considered it an act of cruelty to deprive Lelouch of his most closely guarded secret.

"_A field marshals commission is every officer's dream! How could he turn that it dream into a nightmare!"_ she said to herself and followed the broadcast.

**(Kyushu, Dragon Cavalry's position)**

"So we will finally be able to see the face of the man who defeated us" Zhou Xianglin said to Li and Huang.

"If he is a man at all, just because he calls himself Prince doesn't mean he is a male!" Hong said and his voice was entirely serious, since it was a serious statement.

"We will find that out soon enough!" Li Xingke said and tapped his fingers against the desk in restlessness.

**(Kyushu, Jeremiah's position)**

Jeremiah had just finished destroying almost half of the targets his Lord had given him when the transmission started and he viewed it.

Normally a knight would be delighted when his master received such a reward, but knowing that his lord had now had to remove his helmet and reveal his identity to the world it felt more like an execution that and exaltation.

He turned off the TV from within his Gun Ru and in fury and frustration he lunged himself at the remaining targets.

The same feeling was shared by George, Omar, Odysseus, Suzaku, Kewell and Viletta who were viewing the broadcast from the 42nd mobile command center.

**(Fukuoka city Hi-TV broadcast van)**

"3 billion viewers! Are you sure those numbers are correct?" Diethard asked over the phone, he was talking with Hi-TV central in regard to the broadcasts audience number.

"Yes sir! After the emperor said for him to unmask word spread like wild fire, and people from all over the world started turning on their Tv's , we even have reports that sites like Yahoo, Facebook and HI Five crashed from the sheer number of e-mails transmitted to tell people about the broadcast!" One of Diethard subordinates from Hi-TV replied amazed at what he himself had just confirmed.

"The whole world is viewing this! What will you do now Zero?" Diethard said to himself and looked at the screen with anticipation of what was to come.

**(Pendragon city, throne room)**

After hearing his father's reply he knew there was no way he could back down now, so Lelouch decided that if he was going down, he would go down with grace.

"Yes your majesty!" He said as best as he could.

***Bonk* **New Big Ben of Pendragon rang its bell announcing that it was midnight.

"_Midnight, Halloween….a rather perfect moment for my unmasking"_ Lelouch said to himself.

***Bonk* **the bell rang a second time and Lelouch got up from his kneeling position.

***Bonk*** the bell rang a third time and Lelouch moved to take of his cape.

***Bonk* **the bell rang a fourth time and Lelouch cloak fell from his shoulders and touched the ground.

***Bonk*** the bell rang a fifth time and Lelouch turned his head to the right side.

***Bonk*** the bell rang a sixth time and he moved his right arm towards his helmet.

***Bonk* **the bell rang a seventh time and the helmet opened revealing Lelouch black hair, since the camera was filming him from behind.

***Bonk* **the bell rang an eight time and Lelouch turned his head towards his father and removed the helmet from his head.

***Bonk* **the bell rang for the ninth time and Lelouch bowed his head slightly and lowered his body a few inches to receive the crown of olive branches.

***Bonk*** the bell rang for the tenth time and Charles placed the crown on Lelouch head, and Lelouch started to turn around to face the world

***Bonk* **the bell rang for the eleventh time and the world held's its breath in emotion.

***Bonk* **the bell rang for the twelve time and the world now saw Lelouch's face and a great silence followed.

"_Disappointed that Zero the Iron Prince is a brat or just surprised? I wonder?" _Lelouch said in his mind nothing the great silence and shocked expression of the nobility and this great revelation, it was silent for a few seconds until Lelouch broke it.

"And now…all my nightmares know my name!" he said with a calm tone in his voice, it was not with his characteristic thunderous voice, for it sounded more like a man on death row cursing his enemies one last time before his execution.

Halloween was over and all masks had now fallen off!

**Authors note:**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue.**


	23. Phase XXIII:Lines,Vines and Trying Times

Phase XXIII: Lines, Vines and Trying Times.

**(Slayers military base)**

"Hey someone help me! Kallen-san just fainted!" Kaguya said as she tried desperately to bring her friend conscious once more.

"Who could blame her! I mean if I had just found out that my classmate was the enemy commander I'd faint as well!" Ohgi replied.

The truth was that after they innately asked Kallen about her relationship with Lelouch she had said they were just friends and vehemently denied any romantic involvement, they took her word on that and with the exception of Kaguya were no aware that she and Lelouch became lovers.

**(Ashford Academy)**

"EHH!" Rivals said astounded at what he was seeing.

Nina was just as shocked. "If Lelouch is a prince then that means Nunnally is a princess to?" she asked out loud.

"Of course! They are siblings after all!" Millie replied.

"M..Madam President, did you know about this?" Rivals asked hesitantly.

"Yes! Lelouch and myself have know each other since we were little and he asked me to keep it a secret!" Millie replied.

Shirley was still in the bathroom and was not aware of what had transpired.

(**Pendragon city, throne room)**

"I present to you my son Field Marshall Lelouch vi Brittannia, the 'Niddhog' of the Empire! Tonight within the hour we will celebrate his great victory and his new commission, go to the ball room and leave us alone, I wish to speak with him in private!" Charles said and the camera crew stopped filming and the nobility left.

Once they were alone Lelouch eyed his father, he could tell that Lelouch was masterfully hiding his discontent, but his eyes said everything.

"You are angry that I made you reveal your face to the world?" Charles said with fake confusion in his tone.

"Will all due respect your highness, this mask gave me an aura of mystery which bread great fear into my enemies, some even thought that under it wasn't a human at all, but rather a demon, so why did you take that great power away from me?" Lelouch calmly asked, he was a master at forming a mask.

"Reason ? The reason is that I want you to be great!" Charles replied calmly and this caught Lelouch off guard.

"You hide your face behind a mask, and because people do not know your face they do not show you the respect you deserve, after what you did tonight every man will bow at your feet and every woman will smile at you and invite you to your bed!" Charles continued and his sudden reply made Lelouch anger dissipates.

"I want my son to be acknowledged, loved by his subjects and feared by his enemies. Is that good reason enough for you Field Marshall?" Charles asked his son.

At this response all Lelouch could do was give an apologetic bow of the body and say.

"Yes my lord! I apologies for my behavior!" .

But before Charles could respond Lelouch phone which fell out of his pocket suddenly began ringing, and before Lelouch could pick it up Charles did before him.

"Hello?" Charles said into the phone.

"Hello? Lulu is that you?" Shirley replied over the phone.

**(E.U military headquarters)**

A few minutes had already passed since the transmissions end and Philippe Pétain had ordered his General Staff to gather every scrap of information they could now that they had his picture.

"Well what do you have so far?" Philippe Pétain asked his staff.

"Well sir, based on his picture we managed to get the following data:" one of the staff members said.

"Lelouch vi Brittannia, under the name Lelouch Lamperouge he entered together with his sister Euphemia's knight Kururugi Suzaku The Virginia Military institute at West Point, graduated a few months ago, while at West Point he received top grades at all his studies except those which required physical exercise which he had mediocre, nicknamed 'the little corporal' by his fellow classmates, he became the unofficial leader of the entire institute student body, even upperclassmen and seniors considered him the commanding officer.

He remarked himself as a sniper, military strategist and tacticians and it is reported that after a few months at West Point the dean remarket the following about him:

'Why is that young man here to learn when there is nothing we can teach him that he does not already know? He should be leading armies not wasting time with old men like us!'" he finished his report and Philippe Pétain remained silent for a while a grave look on his face.

He then sat down and broke the silence.

"A natural born leader! My God! My God! He only had about fifty thousand men and look what he did to us! Now as a field marshal he will have an army at least 150.000 strong and authority over other generals!" Philippe said distraught.

Just then Ludwig Beck the minister of war spoke up.

"Gentleman! It is now clear who our greatest foe is, Zero and his Black Knights have literally become over knight legends, and we must make it our priority to capture, defeat or destroy both him and his army, the longer they exists, the more victories they collect the worse the situation for our side will get! We must annihilate the 'Iron Prince' and his army….before he annihilates us!" Beck said and everyone agreed to that.

**(Pendragon city, throne room)**

"LuLu?" Charles asked over the phone confused and eye balled his son.

"Who is this?" Shirley asked.

"I am Lelouch's father" Charles replied.

"His….His Father! Ah…ah excuse me! My name is Shirley Fenette, I am one of your son's classmates, it's a pleasure to meet you sir." Shirley immediately replied in the manner in which a girl introduces herself to her fiancés parents.

"The pleasure is all mine Miss Fenette!" Charles replied with a snicker as he watched Lelouch's nervous face as he chatted with his Shirley.

"By the way sir, might I enquire what your name is, I kept wanting to ask it but kept forgetting!" Shirley asked innocently.

"My name is Charles miss Fenette!" he replied.

"Hey you have the same name as the Emperor!" Shirley said.

"Yes, and I've also been told that I look a lot like him!" Charles said and chuckled slightly, he decided that he liked Lelouch friend and he was really enjoying the conversation.

"Am I interrupting a family thing?" Shirley asked concerned.

"Miss Fenette, did you watch the recent news broadcast?"Charles asked.

"No!" she replied.

"Then you are not interrupting anything….yes I will tell him the costume party has been postponed for next week…..good buy miss Fenette" Charles said and he hanged up the phone and gave it back to Lelouch.

"I rather like your taste in women my son, now let's go to the banquet!" Charles said and he dragged Lelouch with him.

**(World of C Sword of Akasha)**

"You really are such a child Charles!" V.V said to himself as he watched his younger brother through the monitor located with Akasha.

**(Ashford Academy)**

"_Lulu's father seems like a nice man! I wonder why he said they didn't got along?"_ Shirley said in her mind as she returned to were her friends where.

"Hey guys I'm back, and you never guess what happened, I just had a conversation with Lelouch's dad when I tried to call him, how cool is that huh! So I miss anything?" Shirley replied innocently at which everyone in the room stared at her.

"What? Did….I say something?" Shirley asked a bit startled.

Just then Rivals grabbed Shirley by her shoulders and shouted

"DID YOU JUST SAY YOU TALKED TO LELOUCH'S DAD!" he said while shaking her.

"DID YOU HONEST AND TRULLY JUST TALKED TO HIM!" he said again as he was breathing heavily.

Shirley immediately pushed Rivals of her, and startled said:

"Y..yes I did!" What's the big deal?"

Millie remembered that Shirley was not present when the news broadcast was played so she decided to correct that mistake.

Millie then showed Shirley a recording of what was broadcasted a few minutes ago.

**(Pendragon city, Emperor's palace ball room)**

Lelouch was sitting down on a chair and a glass of Schweppes lemon was in his hand, around him the nobles danced, drank and made business deals and alliances.

Lelouch then saw the man he wanted to meet and quickly went to him.

"Good evening Sir Luciano" Lelouch politely greeted.

"Field Marshall!" Luciano said and gave a polite bow of the head.

On one hand Lelouch was surprised and pleased that he was addressed by his military rank and not his social rank, on the other hand he was mentally disgusted when he saw that Luciano was carving up a big piece of fried pork meat with a dagger like the pour animal was still alive and he delighted in torturing it.

"What brings someone like you to someone like me? " Luciano said as he took a sip of wine.

"Why I just wanted to give you a present!" Lelouch said and he handed Luciano a book.

At this Luciano almost choked on his wine, there were few people in the country or rather there were no people at all who considered him a friend of even got him a present.

Luciano hesitantly and a little stunned took the book.

"I hope you enjoy it!"Lelouch said enjoying the shocked expression on his face and then left Luciano's side.

"_I shocked the vampire of Brittannia! How many people can boast to have done something like that!" _Lelouch smirked and mentally said to himself

After a few moments Luciano read the book's title.

"The complete works of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch and Donatien Alphonse François, marquis de Sade volume I" he said to himself and he then started reading the book.

**(Tokyo concession Hilton Hotel, royal sweet)**

It had been six days since Lelouch's unmasking; currently he was relaxing sitting on a couch, he was wearing a bath robe and reading 'A short essay on naval tactics by Admiral Nelson'.

Just then a pair of arms went around his neck.

"Why did you call me over today if all you want to do waste time reading?" Kallen asked lustfully and gave Lelouch a kiss.

"I think you mean why did I call you here yesterday, it was evening when we met up and now its morning." Lelouch pointed out.

"Really?" Kallen asked amazed.

"Uh hu! I woke up half an hour ago, and since I didn't want to disturb you I decided to catch up on my reading, and I'll have you know this is a book on naval warfare by admiral Nelson himself!" Lelouch replied.

"Naval tactics? But you're a Field Marshall not an admiral! Why are you learning naval tactics?" Kallen asked curious.

"Because after Fukuoka Xingke took command of the navy which transported Sawasaki's army here and turned it into a pirate fleet, they been capturing merchant ships and confiscating their cargo, I laid a request for a navy fleet to command against him, and the 3rd, 4th and 7th Navy fleets are gathering and should arrive in Tokyo bay right around Decembers end, until then I am brushing up on my naval tactics." Lelouch replied.

He then turned around, gave Kallen a kiss and said.

"But I think I can take a break now!" and let her to the bed were they prepared for another session of love making.

"I'd never thought three days ago that I'd end up in such a situation!" Kallen said giggling as Lelouch kissed her neck.

"That makes two of us!" Lelouch said and his mind flashbacked to three days ago.

…..

Lelouch was waiting in the hotel room for Kallen to arrive, he decided that after his unmasking and what happened between them before Shikinejima they needed to talk at set things straight.

He was reading the above mentioned naval book when he heard the door to the sweet open.

"_Time to face the music I guess" _Lelouch said to himself and a radio he left on in the main room started playing Ace of Base's 'All that she wants.

**She leads a lonely life  
She leads a lonely life  
**

Kallen entered the room as silently as she could, she heard that the shower was being used and went towards it.

She unsheathed her switch blade knife and walked in the bathroom. **  
When she woke up late in the morning light  
And the day had just begun  
She opened up her eyes and thought**

She silently stepped close to the shower curtain, pulled it open and realized that no one was there.**  
**

**Oh what a morning  
It's not a day for work  
It's a day for catching tan**

She then heard the sound of a pistol cocking behind her.

"Hello Kallen, this gun I am using is the same one from when I destroyed seven Gun Ru's, so please don't be rash and drop the knife!" Lelouch said to her emerging from behind the bathroom door.

**Just lying on the beach and having fun  
She's going to get you**

"Lelouch you stinking liar, why did you call me here today !" Kallen said on the verge of tears.

All that she wants is another baby  
She's gone tomorrow boy  
All that she wants is another baby

"Stinking liar? I told you I was part of the phoenix fund, that I was pro equal right for all the people which live in the Empire and that I worked closely with the 'Iron Prince! You on the other hand pretended to be a frail daughter of a noble, when in fact you were an athletic member of the Slayers, when the two of us compare I told you at least 70% of the truth and you none to me, so you're a bigger liar then me!" Lelouch replied and this caught Kallen off guard.

**All that she wants is another baby  
She's gone tomorrow boy**

Lelouch then lowered his gun which made Kallen lower her guard, he then gave her a smile and walked towards her, he took off his shirt, and as Kallen tried to slip past him he caught her by the wrists and gave her a passionate french kiss.**  
**

"Wait! You…you said you called me here to talk!" Kallen said after the kiss was broken and she blushed like crazy.

"I did! However you came here and tried to threaten me with a knife! This is punishment!" Lelouch said as he moved Kallen under the shower, he then moved one hand to her breasts and another to caress her womanhood.

**All that she wants is another baby  
All that she wants - all that she wants  
**

"S…stop it!" Kallen said still blushing, it was not a 'stop you're rapping me' stop but a ' I want you to continue so I am bashful and I say stop' stop.

"_She's even wearing the red underwear I requested, I wonder if that knife was actually part of some kinky game of hers!" _Lelouch thought to himself as he moved his lips from kissing Kallen to her now expose womanhood.

**So if you are in sight and the day is right  
She's the hunter you're the fox  
The gentle voice that talks to you won't talk forever  
It is a night for passion  
But the morning means goodbye  
Beware of what is flashing in her eyes  
She's going to get you  
**

Kallen by now stopped trying to oppose Lelouch and she took of what remained of her clothes and let Lelouch have her way with her.

**All that she wants is another baby  
She's gone tomorrow boy  
All that she wants is another baby  
All that she wants is another baby  
She's gone tomorrow boy  
All that she wants is another baby**

All that she wants…

It had been morning when Kallen entered the bathroom, and it was evening when they exited the bathroom.

When they exited they sat down on the bed., and Lelouch noticed a sad expression on Kallen.

"What's wrong? I don't think I was that bad!" Lelouch said jokingly.

"No! That's not it!" Kallen replied blushing.

"It's just…it's that sooner or later we….we're going to have to fight each other and possibly kill each other!" Kallen said sadly.

Lelouch realized that she had a valid point so he offered a problem to her dilemma.

"There's an answer for that!" Lelouch said and Kallen snapped to attention.

"For a while their isn't going to be any major military action on land, these kind of periods of peace follow great battles, until then we could continue seeing each other and when the day comes for us to fight each other, we break up the night before" Lelouch told her.

"What's the matter with you?" Kallen said and jumped to her feet.

"What do you mean? You had a dilemma and I offered a solution, what's wrong with that?" Lelouch asked curious.

"Well….love is not that simple!" Kallen said, but the truth was she thought Lelouch idea was pretty practical.

"Of course it is! Look at it this way, your time with the Slayers can be considered your day job, my time as field marshal could be considered my day job, eventually our day jobs will force us to break up, when that happens we do what any other couple would do when their jobs no longer allow them to be together and break up! Love and war maybe the two sides of the same coin, but those sides are best kept separate" Lelouch said with a grin.

"Ah….well….alright" Kallen said in defeat, she should have known by now that debating Lelouch was futile.

"Now then!" he said and gave Kallen another passionate kiss.

"Since our time together is limited why don't we make the most of it!" he said and he and Kallen rolled on the bed in each other's arms.

"For someone who has little stamina, you sure know how to please a woman!" Kallen said and squealed with joy.

"It's all in the technique, and you should know by now that I am a master strategist!" Lelouch said with a smile and both he and Kallen spent the night together, her father was not at home and Kallen's stepmother was indifferent to her fate, and as for Lelouch he had to spend nights away from Nunnally because of the Black Knights, so he was covered as well.

…..

Lelouch's mind returned to the present, and after another session of sex he lay on the bed exhausted with Kallen besides him.

"_This is a much better stress relief then smoking!" _he thought to himself and laughed in his mind.

What Lelouch didn't know was that Kallen also built up a lot of stress from her duties as pilot of the Guren and so both Kallen and Lelouch used each other to 'relieve' the stress, there was also an unspoken rule that they wouldn't discuss what happens during their 'day jobs' while together.

Their relationship was also kept a secret from their classmates for various reasons.

Just then Lelouch's black berry rang its alarm reminding him that he had an appointment.

"I have to go now, today I have to organize my new command! Also this afternoon I will be hosting a barbeque, Millie and the others want to meet my commanders, you should come, if not for food or fun, come to gather intelligence on 'the enemy'" he said with a smile and gave Kallen a kiss, then left.

Kallen also remembered she had an appointment with the Slayers and also left a few moments later.

(**Slayers military base)**

Kallen and the other members of the executive committee were having a meeting, the meeting's concern was organization, equipping and training the now 150.000 strong soldiers, upgrades to the Guren, their budget and what heavy weapons they would receive from Kyoto.

After an hour or so of the meeting steered to the one topic which everyone was curious about.

What do we do next?

"In regards to Zero I recommend assassinating him" Chiba suggested.

"Assassinate Prince Lelouch, why?" Todoh asked.

"Princess Cornelia and her army will be deployed against the E.U in the future, and Schneizell's responsibilities as Prime minister prevent him from concentrating on Japan, so logically Lelouch will be the one left in charge of the army stationed in Japan, that's why I recommend assassination!" Chiba replied.

"Would that be even practical?" Kirihara asked.

"Captain Kouzuki is his classmate and has access to him, it should ne to hard under such circumstances!

Everyone! Brittannian's Achilles heel has always been the fact that they lack capable generals, we must not let them have a capable one! " Chiba replied.

Kallen immediately panicked, if they asked her three months ago she would have done it without hesitation, but now….

"_What should I do if they give me that order!" _she said to herself and dreaded what she might be asked to do.

"I disagree!" Kaguya said out loud.

Chiba turned her head towards her and wanted to ask why, but was beaten by Kaguya to the punch.

"Have you forgotten Chiba-san that Lelouch is the driving force behind the equal rights movement that is gaining ground in the Empire, and has also done great things for the Japanese like naming former numbers as officers in the army, crating the 'Phoenix Fund' and destroying the refrain cartels, now let me ask you this!" Kaguya said and paused and looked intensely at Chiba.

"If the one member of the Royal Family which has done the most for Japan is assassinated by a Japanese resistance fighter, what do you think the effect would be? I will tell you what it will be, every fanatic that says we are nothing more than monkeys who walk on two legs will be proven right, and this country will be demoted to a correctional facility, and when that happens the people will be begging for the country to return to its status as an Area" Kaguya said and this caught Chiba off guard.

She had never considered to think about the consequences of such an action, and she realized that through his actions Lelouch had created an invisible aura of defensive around him and if he died then a tidal wave of blood would be washed over Japan and she just remained silent.

At this sight Kallen let out a breath of relief, her sentiments were shared by the majority of the others present in the room, since in their opinion if they killed Lelouch in cold blood they would be no better than Sawasaki.

For now they decided that the best thing to do was wait, patience was a virtue and they hoped that the opportunity to act would present itself before that virtue would be exhausted.

**(42****nd**** mobile command base)**

Lelouch was surrounded by his subordinates and he addressed them with the following:

"In conclusion with my new rank of Field Marshall I have been given another five army corps, bringing our total forces to the following**:**

250.000 men 100.000 thousand of them former numbers, 150.000 Brittannian, 2.500 knightmares, 4.000 tanks, 34.500 guns, 1.800 helicopters and 1.000 fighter jets.

The corps name are the following: 42nd, 43rd, 44th ,45th ,46th and 47th.

I have completed the reorganization of the Black knights will be as follows.

"Jeremiah Gotwald will be promoted to Lieutenant General and will be given command of the 42nd and 43rd"

"Kewell Soresi will be promoted to major general and be placed in charge of the 44th and 45th"

"Viletta Nu will be promoted to major general and be given command of the 46th and 47th"

"Major Patton will be promoted to Brigadier General and be given command of the knighmare corps, with Captain Bradley receiving the rank of Brigadier as his second in command"

"Odysseus will be given the rank of Brigadier General and will retain his position of Chief of Artillery, with Colonel Kuribayashi as his second."

"Suzaku is now my sisters knight so officially he is a part time member so the Black Knights, but he will receive the brevet rank of Colonel and be given the 811th knightmare regiment to command"

"And last but not least in charge of intelligence gathering, information, espionage and public relations will be Diethard Reed with the rank of Colonel"

"Does anyone have complains with their new ranks?" Lelouch asked and no one had such complains.

"Good! Also I know this is unconventional but my friends from Ashford have expressed a desire to meet you all, so I arranged for a barbeque this afternoon, I will hope you will all be able to attend!" Lelouch asked them and they all agreed and then dismissed them after telling them were it would be.

"Two corps to command and the rank of Major General!" Jeremiah shouted in happiness to his friends Kewell and Viletta.

"The Prince is very generous to those who are loyal and capable!" Viletta said and she was equally thrilled.

"Yes…. He does reward who is capable….and loyal…." Kewell thought to himself the weight of his double servitude and time for paying for such an action was baring down on him.

Whatever path the future held for Kewell he was certain that the end off that path would ne death and dishonor.

**Authors note:**

**Read and Review, let me know if I should continue.**


	24. Phase XXIV: Who watches the watchmen?

Phase XXIV: Who watches the watchmen?

**(Juppama beach mid afternoon.)**

Shirley, Millie, Rivals, Nina and Kallen were all walking along the beach to where Lelouch said they would be meeting his officers.

Just then they got to a section of the beach that was off limit towards the crowd because Prince Clovis reversed for his own personal use.

Millie walked up to them, showed them and identification key, which meant they had clearance and the guards let them pass.

"Man! Who would have thought we'd ever set foot on this portion on the beach!" Rivals said to those present.

"What do you think Lelouch's subordinates be like?" Nina asked a bit frightened.

"Were about to find out!" Millie said and they approached Lelouch's group.

"Hey LULU!" Shirley shouted to Lelouch who was cooking chicken shish kebab.

"Hey guys!" he let the kebab in Suzaku's capable hands and went over to great his friends.

"Gentleman these are myself and Suzaku's fellow student council members: Shirley, Rivals, Nina, Millie"

"Now that you 're all here let me introduce you all to my men, now the tall fellow over there who is pouring drinks is Lieutenant General Jeremiah Gotwald, he is my knight and second in command" Lelouch introduced them to him.

"Lady's, gentleman!" Jeremiah relied and gave a bow of the head.

"The lady which is with Sayoko, Nunnally and Euphemia over there helping them with origami is major general Nu, she commands the center of my army" Viletta gave a polite greeting and nod.

"The tall man with the mustache is my older brother Odysseus and he holds the rank of Brigadier General and is my very capable Chief of Artillery" Lelouch said while saluting Odysseus with his drink. "And the man next to him is Colonel Kuribayashi, his deputy commander" Kuribayashi gave a Japanese style greeting bow, which made Nina a little uncomfortable.

"The guy with the glasses who is setting the table is Brigadier Omar Bradley, he is the knightmare corps deputy commander!" he gestured to Bradley.

Lelouch then looked around in confusion for a few moments.

"Hey Brad, where's George? Is he off shooting crocodiles again? " Lelouch asked curious which caused Rivals to startled at what he just heard about Lelouch man.

"Nope! He said he was going to get more food and would be back in a while!" Brad replied as he finished setting the table.

"KAPLONK!" George shouted scaring everyone as he emerged from the sea with three Tuna fish which he caught, he was carrying one fish in each of his arms and the third one he was carrying between his teeth.

"George? What the hell were you doing in the water?" Lelouch asked with a snicker as George exited the water.

"Getting more food of course!" he said and he placed the fish on the table and Bradley started skinning them.

"O George, I hope you never change! Everyone the creature from the black lagoon here is Brigadier General George Patton, grandson of The General Patton and my knightmare corps commander" Lelouch said and George shook hands with those present.

"Do you really go off shooting crocodiles?" Rivals asked while he was shacking George's hand.

"What! Of course not! Killing crocodiles is illegal!"George replied which seemed to calm Rivals down, until George continued.

"I capture them alive with rope and nets and help relocate them during my free time!" He replied with a smile which left Rivals even more mortified and the kind of people Lelouch had for subordinates.

"Well you already know Suzaku, now Major General Kewell is…not present…!" Lelouch said surprised.

"Viletta where's Kewell?" he asked her.

"He said he was sick and couldn't make it." Viletta replied.

Just then Lelouch cell phone rang and he picked it up.

"Hello!...Yes….WHAT!...yes, no,…. Thank you!...goodbye!" Lelouch hang up the phone.

"That was my secretary! Kewell's letter of resignation just arrived a few minutes ago!" Lelouch said and he stunned his officers.

"Jeremiah, Viletta come with me! We're going to see just how bad a cold in really is!" he said and the three of them left for Kewell's apartment.

"Must be some cold if General Kewell is forced to resign from it!" Bradley stated.

"That's just like our 'little corporal'!" Suzaku said smiling while he fed Arthur.

"Little corporal?" Shirley asked curious.

"It's a nickname the general got after the first biannual War-game at West Point!" George replied.

"There's a story behind that, would you like to hear it?" Suzaku asked and seeing the all nodded yes started the story.

**(Kewell's apartment)**

Kewell was dressed in his uniform and as he awaited for the inevitable he smoked a cigar and watched TV, he stopped on MTV classics and as the song was playing he heard footsteps outside his apartment.

**Now I've heard there was a secret chord  
That David played, and it pleased the Lord  
But you don't really care for music, do you?**

Kewell's apartment door was then busted open and his attackers made themselves visible.

"I guess it's time for judgment day!" Kewell said and tried to pull out his gun, but the first of the attackers gave a kick which knocked his gun out off his hands, the second, third fourth and fifth attacker then jumped and overpowered him.**  
**

**It goes like this  
The fourth, the fifth  
The minor fall, the major lift  
The baffled king composing Hallelujah**

Kewell was pushed against the wall and his attacker starting hitting him to immobilize him.

**Hallelujah**

He received right punch in the gut

**Hallelujah**

The second attacker gave him a left uppercut**  
**

**Hallelujah**

The third a right uppercut and after that the leader ordered him to be tied down..

**Hallelujah  
**

Kewell's body was now in pain but he did not take head to it he knew that through this pain he would repent for betraying the thrust of Prince Lelouch and would die with his honor restored.

**Your faith was strong but you needed proof  
You saw her bathing on the roof  
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.**

"Youthough that you could just quit like that?" the leader of the group said to Kewell who was tied to a chair**  
**

**She tied you  
To a kitchen chair  
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair  
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah  
**

"hah aha ha ha ha ha" Kewell started laughing.

"What's so funny?" one of the men asked.

**Baby I have been here before  
I know this room, I've walked this floor  
I used to live alone before I knew you.**

"To think I was once as blind and as ignored as you people if not more…..but no more… I now see the light…..Prince Lelouch freed me from my madness!" Kewell said defiantly.

**I've seen your flag on the marble arch  
Love is not a victory march  
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah  
**

At this the leader told his men go hit him again.

A volley of two to three punches came from each of the four men**  
**

**Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
**

They then stopped and Kewell somehow managed not to scream, his body was now full with pain , but he remained silent and stared at his attackers defiantly.

The look in his eyes the leader of the group thought to himself wasn't off a man scared off the fate that awaited him but a man who was fulfilled with his fate and was satisfied that he was repenting for his mistake, this made the leader the one scared in spite of Kewell been the one tide down and beaten up.

**There was a time you let me know  
What's really going on below  
But now you never show it to me, do you?  
And remember when I moved in you  
The holy dove was moving too  
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah  
**

The leader not knowing what to do gave Kewell four more punches to the face with his own fists.

**Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah**

He saw that Kewell was not breaking so he decided to use his last ace up his sleeve.

"That bastard son off a whore, who loves those illiterate monkeys called numbers is the shame of our empire and he will one day die just like you are dying now!" the leader said to Kewell.****

You say I took the name in vain  
I don't even know the name  
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?  
There's a blaze of light  
In every word  
It doesn't matter which you heard  
The holy or the broken Hallelujah  


"No..he will not die… he will live and he will rise…until he is king and then…. He will free the whole Empire from the madness which plagues it….he will set all of us free….like he freed me!" Kewell said while heavily drawing breaths of air from the great pain he was going through.

The leader of the group seeing that he wasn't able to break Kewell gave angrily ordered another barrage of fists to break him.

**Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
**

Kewell by now had a face that was bloodied and bruised; he looked more like piece of meat than a man.

He then saw that the leader ordered his men to step aside and reached for what was within his jacket, he knew that he was going to shoot him.

**I did my best, it wasn't much  
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch  
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you**

"_I guess this is it for me! Forgive me Marika and farewell Jeremiah, Viletta, Suzaku , Bradley, George, Prince Odysseus, Kuribayashi and my lord Prince Lelouch."_ Kewell said to himself and then stared his executioners one last time defiantly, he looked death in the eye and did not blink

**And even though  
It all went wrong  
I'll stand before the Lord of Song  
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah  
**

**Hallelujah, Hallelujah**

The leader reached into his inner pocket for his gun.

**Hallelujah, Hallelujah**

He got a hold on his gun and started drawing it out.

**Hallelujah, Hallelujah**

He finished drawing his gun out and looked at Kewell one last time.

**Hallelujah, Hallelujah**

****Kewell stared back at him defiantly as is saying 'do your worst'

**Hallelujah, Hallelujah**

****The leader then aimed the gun right between Kewell's eyes, Kewell did not even blink.

**Hallelujah, Hallelujah**

****The leader saw this and his hand started shacking from such a display of courage and defiance.

**Hallelujah, Hallelujah**

The leader then cocked his gun.**  
**

**Hallelujah, Hallelujah**

_***Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*  
**_

**Hallelujah….**

**(Juppama beach mid afternoon.)**

"Well you see once every six months War-games were held at West Point to weed out the weak cadets, and the seniors would usually form one army and fight against the freshman " Suzaku said to Shirley, Rivals, Millie and Kallen who were listening with great interest to the story.

George and Omar participated in that War game on Lelouch's side and Nunnally and Euphie were there as spectators.

"Because of his high marks Lelouch was made the leader off about our side which consisted of about 100 cadets, the enemy had about 250 cadets, there was also…..AUH!" Suzaku tried to continue but was cut off by a bite from Arthur oh his fingers.

"Arthur! Why do you always…." Suzaku said to himself as Euphie rushed to his side.

"Well since Colonel Kururugi is….heh heh…critically injured I will finish the story!" George joked and continued.

"What he meant to say was that there was a hill near campus and one army's purpose was to defend it and the other was to attack and take it" George said and he took a sip of Coca Cola.

"And this year the seniors got the high ground and we had to take it, so there we were outmanned, outgunned, outmaneuvered and are enemy was better trained then us!" George continued and lost himself in the memories of what happened that day.

"And what happened then?" Shirley asked eager to find out.

"A miracle! That's what it was, a bloody miracle!" Bradley said picking up were George left seeing he was lost in the land of memories.

**(Kewell's apartment)**

Lelouch, Viletta and Jeremiah arrived just in time and shot the Leader and his henchmen before they had a change to kill Kewell.

"These men that attacked you are all member of the OSI guards!" Jeremiah after inspecting the bodies said to Kewell who was laid on his bed and Viletta was tending to his wounds.

"I think you have some explaining to do General!" Lelouch calmly asked while he sat in a chair a few feet away from Kewell.

"Yes my lord, those men are part of the Purist Faction. Up until recently I was a member of their party" Kewell replied.

"The Faction who says Brittannian society should only be made out off Brittannians?" Viletta said amazed she did not knew Kewell was a member.

"I know them! They are being led by a man called Ferdinand Calares they approached me a few years ago to join them, but after hearing that you went to West Point sire I decided that it would be best to remain apolitical if I wanted to present my services to you!" Jeremiah replied towards Lelouch.

"Well go on General, continue!" Lelouch said to Kewell.

"Well I wish I could say I joined them because I had no choice, but the truth was I joined them because I…I "Kewell covered his face with his hands in shame paused and then continued.

"I joined them because I believed in their creed with all my heart!"

"What made you change your beliefs?" Lelouch asked, there was no hint of hatred, accusation and betrayal in his voice, just curiosity.

"You did my lord!" Kewell replied which caught Lelouch of guard.

"You and Suzaku and those Japanese soldiers you gave me to command, at first I didn't like them, but after Siberia with Kururugi and training and leading those boys into combat I….I realized just how wrong the creed of the Purists was and how much of an idiot I've been, so I decided to resign from the Purists because I no longer believed in them….and resign from the black knights since I kept secrets from you all, betrayed your thrust and served two masters!" Kewell said on the verge of tears.

"Even if you resigned from the purists that is not a good enough reason for them to order , your death, they must have told you do to something and your refused to do it, so they ordered your death, who's assassination did they ordered you to commit?" Lelouch replied and this caught Kewell off guard.

He then remembered that his commander was a master tactician and strategist so it was easy for him to figure it out and he decided to tell them.

"Yours my lord, they ordered me to kill you Prince Lelouch!"

**(Juppama beach mid afternoon.)**

"A miracle! That's what it was, a bloody miracle!" Bradley said picking up were George left seeing he was lost in the land of memories.

He then continued to tell the story of what happened that fateful day.

**(West Point Military academy, the day before the war games,)**

Lelouch ,Suzaku, Omar and George looked at the army they were supposed to command and the noticed that they were all demoralized, Lelouch then decided to do something about that and he unsheathed his sword and drew a circle around the cadets.

"I believe that there are two kinds of soldiers, those who go to win a battle and those who don't give a crap about that and go to lose it" Lelouch paused to let this sink in.

"So I have drawn a circle to show who will go tomorrow to win and who to lose!" Lelouch, Suzaku, Bradley and George were the only ones who were not within the circle.

"What do you mean commander? We are up against seniors who outnumber us and have a better position, this is a battle we cannot win!" one cadet said to him and the others agreed with him

"And with an attitude like that we will never win!" Lelouch shouted back which silenced the cadet, he then paced around the line and continued his speech.

"The seniors think we are inferior, that we cannot win, and we will use that to our advantage, the will let their guard down because of that and we will hit them so hard and so fast that we will crush them like the lousy sons of bitches they are!" Lelouch said to his men and hope returned to their faces.

"If we go into battle thinking that we will lose then we will lose, but we will not lose for we go into battle to win, we will not be defeated, for we will not accept defeat!" Lelouch said and the demoralize cadets started to gain courage.

"We will not win, we will conquer, we will destroy them, we will hit them so hard, so fast that they're grandchildren are going to need doctors! But in order to do that I will need soldiers that fight in order to win and not soldiers who go out there to loose, so whoever wants to win, get out off that circle…..whoever wants to lose stay there, cause we don't need you!" Lelouch said and paused to see if his speech had the desired effect.

The cadets stared at each other for a while, until one took a step out of the circle, then another, then another, until every cadet was now outside the circle.

Lelouch then looked at his men, smiled and said: "All right, now let's go kick some ass!" Lelouch shouted and he raised his fist into the air.

"YEAH!" the cadets assembled shouted now their confidence and morale had been restored.

Suzaku, George and Omar now looked at their friend and commander with admiration.

"Now here's what we are going to do!" Lelouch said and he explained his plan.

"Sir, with all due respect for that plan to work we would have to steal the necessary supplies from the Academies warehouse!" Omar said to Lelouch.

"Mister Bradley that is called commandeering for the benefit of the army!" Lelouch replied with a smile on his face.

"What will the dead say about our actions?" Suzaku asked concerned.

"He will commend us for our ingenuity and resourcefulness!" Lelouch said and those around him chuckled and went to put his plan into action.

**The next day**

The white team which was the defensive team and the black team which was the offensive team were lined up before spectators, the battle would be an infantry skirmish and paintball gun would be used.

Among them were Nunnally, Euphie, Darlton and Cornelia who came to see Lelouch in action.

The white team and black team then came together and shook hands as it was customary to do so before a War-game.

Just then Lelouch noticed who the Black Team Leader was.

"Gyno Weinberger! Knight of three!" Lelouch said as he shook his hand.

"A pleasure to meet you you're highness, please go easy on us today!" Gyno said cheerfully and both teams went to their designated positions.

The hill had a small forest to its eastern side, and clear open field on its other three sides.

The battle then started, and what surprised Gyno was the following: Lelouch was leading a frontal assault from the northern side of the hill which was the rugged side and very easy to defend.

"_Guess he's just another idiot who will get people in the field killed!"_ Gyno lamented to himself and he ordered all of his men to deploy to face Lelouch's attack.

"_So knight of three you have taken the bait! It's checkmate for you now!" _Lelouch said as he snickered and watched the hill with his binoculars.

"George! Tell Bradley and Suzaku to prepare to move out!" Lelouch ordered him.

George gave the orders and once Lelouch saw that everything was ready he decided to spring the trap.

"Here goes nothing!" he said and his men threw smoke grenades which they stole from the warehouse yesterday in front of their position covering their movements.

Gyno was momentarily shocked by this turn of events , as the smoke cleared he noticed that Lelouch's forces who originally were half a mile away were now at the foot of the hill and were using the rugged terrain as cover and firing back at Gyno's forces "_Using smoke grenades to cover their movements and using the rough terrain to their advantage! This guy is better than I thought!"_ he said to himself in delight that Lelouch was a good leader.

"But even with those stolen smoke grenades they only managed to get close enough to the foot of the hill!" the Academy's Dead said and was impressed with Lelouch ingenuity.

"Also the enemy still has a good defensive position and superior numbers !" Darlton said o the Dead who was sitting next to him.

"My brother is not an idiot; he knows what he is doing!" Cornelia added and she was sitting next to Darlton.

"Well since he was trained and tutored by the two of some of the finest graduates this Academy has ever had I will take your word for it!" the Dean replied and he continued to view the battle.

Meanwhile back at the battlefield Gyno was by now actually enjoying himself; he pulled some strings to get command of this year's seniors and was pleased that he was not disappointed.

The battle was slowly but surely going into Gyno's favor since he had superior numbers and the high ground, but as he though victory was near suddenly he heard gunfire from behind his position, he turned around and saw that out of nowhere 50 enemy soldiers had gotten to the top of the hill and were moving down his men with paintball fire.

"_How! All of his forces are on the foot of the hill, I counted them and all 100 enemies are there….how!" _Gyno said to himself and he tried to pull out his paintball gun and return fire, but one shot got him in the head, he saw that it came from Kururugi Suzaku, he also saw that every one of his men now were hit by paintballs, the battle was over and he had lost his entire army!

"Hurrah!" The cheers of victory came from Lelouch and his men below who got up and Gyno noticed that only half of them got up.

Then some of the soldiers picked up the ones who were not moving and Gyno saw that those 'soldiers' were in fact target dummies from the firing range.

Then the sudden realization of what just happened hit Gyno like a thunderbolt.

"He replaced half of his men with dummies and used the forest to the right to shield their movements so he could launch a surprise attack from behind, and he used the smoke grenades to conceal the switch!" Cornelia said and she was amazed that Lelouch pulled of such a feat, Darlton was equally impressed and proud of his two students.

'Why is that young man here to learn when there is nothing we can teach him that he does not already know? He should be leading armies not wasting time with old men like us!" The Dean said about Lelouch, and he too was equally impressed.

Meanwhile back at Lelouch position the seniors after recovering from the shock of their sudden defeat shook hands with the freshman who received the handshake proudly.

"I think you and I will get along just fine if we ever fight together on the field!" Gyno said as he shook Lelouch's hand.

"I sincerely hope so!" Lelouch replied with a smile and after they parted ways he then remembered his siblings were there.

"Come on guys, I want you to meet my sisters!" Lelouch said to Bradley, Suzaku and George and they went to do so.

**End of flashback story.**

"Wow! Lelouch was awesome at West Point!" Rivals said impressed.

"Yes he was! And after that me and George over there decided that Lelouch would be the man we would serve under no matter what, so here we ware today!" Bradley said.

Suzaku's phone then rang and he picked it up.

"Hello!"

**(Kewell's apartment)**

"Kill the Prince! But for whatever for?" Viletta said astonished, after Fukuoka what reason could anybody have to kill him she thought to herself.

"The reason is that I am fighting for the abolishment of the numbers system and they like it the way things are, they're right, I'm wrong and they will kill to make it sure it stays so!" Lelouch calmly replied.

At this Kewell bowed his head in shame and said.

"So you see, after that I decided to resign and just let them come after me, after all a scumbag like wouldn't be missed!" Kewell said and chuckled.

Lelouch then got up from his seat, reached for the inside of his shirt.

Jeremiah and Viletta's hearts stopped for a moment, they were sure that he would kill Kewell and after what they found out about him they couldn't blame him for doing so.

Lelouch then pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" Suzaku replied on the other end.

"Suzaku it's me, myself Viletta and Jeremiah have arrived at Kewell's apartment and we have discovered the following….Kewell was suffering from a disease which can infest even the noblest of men, it clouded his sight and judgment, but now he is freed of that disease, his sight is now clear and his mind and heart pure, he is now cured of the madness and ready to begin anew!" Lelouch said while eyeballing Kewell.

Kewell for his part was shocked at the magnanimous generosity the prince had bestowed upon him, Viletta and Jeremiah were equally as surprised and proud to have such a liege.

Lelouch considered killing Kewell but saw on his face a man who knew he made a mistake and was determined to pay with his life for that sin, so he could not kill him.

"Hey Lelouch, you're making such a big deal out off a little could, stop being so dramatic!" Suzaku said over the phone.

"Sorry about that!" Lelouch chuckled, told Suzaku that Kewell would stay hope to recuperate, but he would be fine and back to duty sometime in the near future, he then hang up the phone.

"Your…your highness.. I …I don't think I am wordy off…." Kewell tried to say but was cut off by Lelouch who said.

"General Kewell you have been sick, you are now free of that disease, you will heal and you will resume your duties as the leader of my right flank! Is that understood?" Lelouch said with an authoritarian tone.

At this all Kewell could do was use what was left of his strength to get down in a knights kneeling position of obedience and say.

"Yes, you're majesty!" he then fainted from his wounds, but Viletta caught him and placed him back in bed to rest.

"My lord we thank you for your generosity, but what do we do about Calares?" Jeremiah asked.

Lelouch smiled, pulled out his dagger, walked to the dead bodies and said.

"We put the fear into him mister Gotwald!"

**(A few days later Pendragon city, General Calare's home)**

"A toast to the death of that traitor Soresi!" Calares said and the other high ranking members of the purist faction drank to it.

Just then a package was delivered to him, it's sender was listed as the captain who lead the assassination squad and Calares opened it with delight, only for him to jump back in horror at what he saw in it.

The severed heads of the six assassination squad members were there, and each one of them had their eyes, tongs, ears and teeth cut off.

Within the captain's mouth was a note, Calares hesitantly took it out and read it out loud.

"Who watches the watchmen?" he then flipped the note to the other side and saw the rest of the message.

"WE DO!"

**Authors note**

**Read and review, let me know is I should continue**


	25. Phase XXV:The Festival Declaration

Phase XXV: The School Festival Declaration

**(Ashford Academy)**

"Certainly, the invasion by the Chinese Federation and the E.U and the 'Slayers' terrorist activities have thrown things into disarray. However, this is a separate matter entirely! The fact is that you two have not met the minimum number of class hours!"

"No matter how good your grades are, regardless of the fact that you are a Prince and a Field Marshall, irrespective to your status as a Colonel in the Black Knights and as Princess Euphemia's personal knight, if you don't have enough class hours , you'll be expelled!" the homeroom teacher said to Lelouch and Suzaku.

Outside the door the other teachers from which Lelouch and Suzaku played hooky were waiting their turn to 'have a crack at them'.

"I guess it'll be a while!" the history teacher said.

"Think we'll even be done tonight?" the geography teacher asked.

"Huh!" Lelouch exhaled a breath of exhaustion, he had always thought that the night of the battle of Fukuoka was the one he though the hardest of all, but now he wished he was their instead of here.

**(Slayers military submarine)**

"The Slayers are savior!"

"Even an Eleven can become great! Just look at Kururugi Suzaku, a Colonel in the Black Knights and a Knight to a Princess!"

"If I hadn't been for Lelouch the Chinese would have taken Kyushu!"

"They protected it so they could control the Sakuradite, they don't give a damn about the people!"

"I don't care, as long as there's peace!"

"But it's peace at the cost of freedom!"

"Even the ghetto's opinions are divided?" Ohgi asked Yoshida who had read the report on the ghettos.

"Yeah, between rebels and collaborators!" he replied.

"Man, people would be shocked if they knew that in order to free the country we needed the Chinese to take Kyushu!" Sugiyama said.

"So is it a good thing or a bad thing that Kyushu didn't fall to the Chinese?" Inoue asked.

"This could work to our advantage!" Kaguya replied.

"In what way?" Kallen asked curious.

"The victory Zero achieved when everyone expected a defeat shook the world of its weary foundation, we can take advantage of that chaos to unite the anti Brittannian elements worldwide!" Kaguya replied.

"People have been trying to do that for years, why should they unite under our banner?" Yoshida asked.

"Our success against Brittannia namely Narita, the train rescue and Shikinejima no matter how small they may be have happened during a period in which everyone else have experienced nothing but defeat! This has given us great influence abroad!" Todoh responded.

"So we will be using Zero's own victories against him! I like that!" Tamaki belted out.

"_I wonder are we stealing Zero's thunder or merely riding the coattails of his ascension to greatness?" _Kaguya though to herself.

"Then it's settled! Kyoto and the Slayers will begin starting diplomatic relation with the E.U and the Chinese Federation, I will meet with Empress Tianzi as soon as possible!" Kaguya replied.

"Lady Kaguya in regards to that we would need to distract Lelouch in order for you to slip out of the country and to the Chinese Federation!" Minami stated and that was true since Lelouch and not Cornelia was the military commander responsible for Japan.

"I think I can do that!" Kallen said.

"But with Kamine Island Lelouch knows you're identity and he could arrest you!" Ohgi said concerned for Kallen.

"That's even more reason for me to go, he will focused on finding me if he thinks I'm in the open" Kallen lied she knew that soon she and Lelouch would have to break up and tomorrow could be their last day together so she decide to make the full of I t and if by doing so she would help their efforts then that was double the reason to do it.

"Besides, we can only use the escape route Kaguya-sama found until tomorrow!" Kallen replied and that put the lid on it.

**(Ashford Academy, the next day)**

Fireworks flooded the air announcing the start of the school festival.

"Sorry to keep you waiting folks! I'm proud to announce the start of Ashford Academy's school festival!" Millie said over the speakers

"You may begin as soon as you hear the signal!" Millie then said to Nunnally.

"Um, is it alright?" Nunnally asked hesitantly.

"IT's fine!" Millie replied.

"Well then….." Nunnally said as she inhaled a breath of air.

"Meoow" Nunnally said through the mike like a little stray lamb shouting for its heard and "Awhooo" the entire male population of Ashford replied like a pack of hungry wolves.

"It's awfully noisy today!" C.C said as the sounds of the festival woke her up from sleep.

The school festival was like nothing you would expect from a school in the mainland, Ashford had adopted that tradition from the Japanese schooling system and it was a sight to see.

Food stands, merchandise booths, theater plays, people dressed like the Lancelot or the Colgrevance Shinkiro making it look like the love child of a circus and a carnival.

"I see, the fleets gathered and will be ready for deployment as soon as the necessary supplies are gathered!" Lelouch said to his cell phone.

"Yes, also reports have arrived that the fleet which was dispersed in order to maximize it's pirate activities has began to amass it's forces" Diethard replied from the other end of the line.

"Also the items you requested has been manufactured, absolute secrecy has been employed and not even the soldiers we used to created it know of its purpose!" Diethard said.

"How's Kewell?" Lelouch asked.

"He has recovered from his wounds and with Viletta and Odysseus is currently making plans for our fleet's deployment and order of battle in order to maximize the effectiveness of the long range missiles and guns!"

"Also the reports regarding the recent expansion of the Black knights have been put on a flash disk and Lord Jeremiah has decided to come to Ashford to deliver it personally to avoid information leaks!" Diethard replied and added.

"That was wise of him!" Lelouch replied

Diethard heard him and tried to say another portion of his report but was cut off by the following.

"We're in trouble! We're in big trouble!" Millie said rushing towards Lelouch for help.

"I'll call you back." Lelouch replied and closed the phone.

"Trouble?" Diethard said to himself in confusion.

"What're you doing up there? You're the vice-president Lelouch!" Millie said as she dragged Lelouch throw the crowd.

Lelouch had been a sort of celebrity at Ashford ever since he came here three months ago, and there were even theories that he was royalty, those sprang up from his handsomeness, high intelligence and uncanny ability to lead, so it wasn't such a big change that they found out he was a prince.

"I am a Field Marshall who has an army to organize and a Navy to supply, also we're proceeding as scheduled!" Lelouch said amused.

"Besides, it's your pet project. We had trouble with 2 meters. No wonder you're having trouble making a 12 meter pizza!" he added.

"It's amazing isn't it. When we're done, it'll be the biggest ever!" Millie said with excitement in her voice.

"It was a bitch just getting the oven and ingredients ready! And why did you call the TV station? I already have enough trouble with the paparazzi!" Lelouch said annoyed/

"We have to record the pizza! Just stay in the booth, okay? Chairman's orders!"Millie said with a smile.

"You know I wonder what people would say about you if they found out you had the power to order me around!" Lelouch said with a chuckle at which Millie replied with one as well.

"All right, stop!" Rivals said as he helped with the preparations.

"Rivals, we're done over here!"Nina cheerfully replied.

"Oh. You're in a good mood! Something good happen?" he asked Nina.

"Well, yeah!" she replied happily.

**(Outside Ashford Academy)**

Jeremiah was at the entrance of the academy when he saw Sayoko.

Both of them greeted each other warmly, just then a pair of students dragged into the festival saying that couples get a discount, this made Sayoko blush, unknown to her Jeremiah also was as equally if not more embarrassed at the current situation, it was a good thing for Jeremiah that she didn't notice, for in matters of war he was a well experienced man and even more experience in the art of bedding women.

Skilled in sex and war, but unfortunately when it came to love he was a virgin.

**(Ashford Academy kitchen)**

Suzaku was helping out and was chopping onions with the speed of a machine gun, when he sensed Kallen was behind him.

"Thank goodness! I thought that after the beach barbeque you avoid contact with is and not come to school anymore!" Suzaku said happily to Kallen.

"Why are you so friendly to me? You and I are enemies?" Kallen asked and she sheathed her switch blade knife, she did not want to kill Lelouch, but it was common sense to keep one's guard up around Suzaku.

"You're Karen Stadfelt right now, not Kallen Kouzuki! If we meet in battle, I won't pull my punches, but I will keep trying to change your mind. I know it's against regulations, but I want to try and convince you, rather than fight you, at least while we're at school!" Suzaku replied and Lelouch who was listening on the conversation from the hallway felt as Kallen's anger simmered down.

"Also Lelouch would be sad if his lover would be arrested by me!" Suzaku jokingly said and Lelouch felt Kallen's fury go over 9.000.

"Do you have a death wish!" Kallen said blushing like crazy and menacingly at Suzaku!

Suzaku at the combination of emotions before him didn't know whether to laugh or tale battle stance, but Lelouch quickly intervened.

"Ah Kallen there you are! I have something which would require physical efforts from you." Lelouch said with his usual lady killer look, put a hand over her shoulder and let Kallen out off the room.

Kallen knew or thought she knew what his tone implied and she started her reply with lust and affection in her voice:

"Oh! I can handle…

…..Killing you!" and finished her though with anger and frustration as she screamed at the pair before her, emerging from her hideout and making them run away from fear.

"This isn't even remotely scary!" Kallen said dismayed while in her 'monster' costume.

"Damn you Lelouch! If you're going to put me in the haunted house, you should say so! After this is over I am breaking up with him!" Kallen said as she got back to her hidden position.

"Oh, another couple? Man if they took the trouble to put a tracking screen in here, they should have made the whole thing mechanical! This is just as crowded and hot as my early days in the Glasgow. So, come on, hurry, hurry….."

"HURRY!" Kallen screamed as she got up at Jeremiah who pulled out his gun and Sayoko who pulled out her kunai.

"Oh? Lord Jeremiah, and Sayoko –san?" Kallen asked surprised it was them.

"Are you feeling all right miss Kallen?" Sayoko asked her.

"Just fine, thank you" she replied still surprised.

Jeremiah then took a moment to analyze their situation. "_I am currently in a haunted house, which is in a school with super maid, facing off Lord Lelouch's red face painted classmate who is wearing a…block monster costume? You think you've seen it all!" _Jeremiah said to himself, there were many things you could say about Lelouch, but one thing was certain serving under him was never boring.

**(Ashford Academy field ground)**

Cecile who along with a few other was acting as Euphemia's guard was playing a variation of whack a mole with students as the moles and she was constantly whacking one particular student.

"Oh, this school festival is so much fun!" she said.

"Don't you think the one she keeps hitting looks like Earl Lloyd?" one of the other guards asked.

"So that's why she keeps playing that one game!" Another guard said.

"Yes, the pizza will be done this afternoon!" Lelouch said to one phone call.

"_Now's not the time for this crap!" _he thought to himself and reached for another one who was ringing.

"Hello! The theatre clubs? Ah, I've already spoken to them!" he replied and closed the phone.

"_Preparing the making of Millie's giant pizza while building and army and supplying a navy at t he same time…..what the hell's wrong with me!_" he thought to himself and rubbed his head in frustration and his own silliness and indecisiveness.

Only to be interrupted by a hit on the head from Cecile's hammer.

"I'm sorry, the handle just broke…ah you're highness!" Cecile said as she caught the handle.

"Come to enjoy the festival Cecile-san?" Lelouch replied.

"Hey you!" C.C said behind him.

"_This is not happening!" _he said in his mind.

"Where's this 'biggest pizza in the world?'".

"Oh it's you!" C.C said to Lelouch who turned around.

**(Tokyo harbor, Cornelia's departure point)**

"I'm sorry I have to make you come all the way from Asia minor here and then make you go back to face the E.U like this Cornelia" Schneizell said to her.

"It's nothing, also my movements are made easier because of your forces rapid deployments!" she replied.

"It's the least I can do" Schneizell said.

"The E.U shouldn't be too much of a problem with my army reinforced and the Gladstone knights now with me from the mainland and I've finally got the Zattel Buffin for my Gloucester as well" Cornelia said

"I'm am aware with that, I also negotiated with the Chinese Federation for your army's safe passage also Lelouch should be able to take care of that Fleet which has been plaguing these waters after you depart!" Schneizell replied.

"I thank you" Cornelia replied.

"Oh what an honor!" Schneizell said.

"Eh?" Cornelia replied caught off guard.

"To be thanked by Princess Cornelia, peerless warrior!" Schneizell replied

"Please don't tease!" she said a little embarrassed.

"I'm serious! You are more beautiful in battle than any dancer, any flower, or butterfly. Yes! You're like a flash of light!" Schneizell replied.

"Stop it! You know I'm not! Where's Euphie? She should be here for you're the departure" Cornelia asked while looking around for her sister.

"I spoke with Euphie last night, she said she wanted to see Lelouch's school!" Schneizell replied.

**(Ashford Academy roof top)**

"But it's the biggest pizza in the world!" C.C said.

"I'll bring some to you, so stay in the room!" he replied.

"I don't trust you, liar!" she countered.

"We don't have any choice! I noticed that father himself is looking for you, there are soldiers and reporters all over the campus!" Lelouch said.

"I want it fresh. Bring me a disguise." C.C said unfazed by what he said.

"I'm stretched thin between the festival and the fleet and the army, so please just listen to me and stay here hidden!" Lelouch said and he left the roof, C.C watched him go, deciding that as soon as he was out of site she wouldn't.

**(Ashford Academy field)**

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to see the school!" Euphie said in disguise to her two body guards, although people were used to Lelouch, there were many who wanted to 'meet' the angel of Narita so to speak.

"Not at all!" one of her guards said and Euphie's mind flashed back to her meeting last night with Schneizell when she presented him with her idea.

"Euphie, I think it's wonderful idea!" Schneizell replied and he was sincere.

"Then!" Euphie said squealing with joy that he liked it.

"Do whatever you think is best. I'll talk to Cornelia for you, and I know Lelouch and Nunnally will approve of it!" he replied and the flashback ended.

"_With this we can start the real changes" _Euphie said to herself, which caused her to be temporarily off guard and she bumped into Nunnally.

"I'm sorry, are you hurt?" Euphie asked.

"No! not at all!" Nunnally replied.

"Oh sorry Nunnally!" Euphie replied.

"Hello sister Euphemia!" Nunnally said delighted she decided to visit Ashford.

**(Ashford Academy's small backyard forest)**

"Well that was unexpected to say the least!" Jeremiah said to Sayoko.

"Things are always fun round this school!" Sayoko replied with a smile.

"Makes me want to be in high school again!" Jeremiah joked and both he and Sayoko shared a laugh, and after that an uncomfortable silence.

"_Shit what do I do now?" _Jeremiah said to himself as he starred into her eyes and found that he lost himself in them

**(Nunnally's room)**

"He! Lelouch has turned into such a womanizer!" Euphie said in shock as Nunnally told her over a cup of tea of Lelouch's 'exploits'.

"Do you remember when we were very little and we used to fight over which of us would marry him?" Nunnally said changing the subject.

"I remember! We use to try and make Lelouch decide right then and there!" Euphie said and the pleasant memories caused both girls to giggle.

**(Ashford Field ground, 20 minutes latter)**

"And now, without much further ado, we will begin baking the biggest pizza in the world! What is this building at my feet, you ask? It's a special oven, designed for this very purpose. It was a huge waste of money, and-" Rivals trailed off to the assembled crowd.

**(Ashford broadcast booth)**

"Al right. Shirley, I'll make time, so just go help Group B with the stage!" Lelouch said over the phone.

"_How carefree they are. IT's not like anyone will die if they mess this up…sooner or later I will have to go to war, when that happens this place I will long to return to it."_ Lelouch said to himself and looked outside to see what was happening, only to be startled by what happened next.

(**Giant Pizza area)**

"Well then, it seems that the ingredients are all ready! Now then, let me introduce the star of the show, the Ashford's own Ganymede!" Rivals said and he unveiled it.

"It's a bit of a classic model, but the pilot is our Student Council treasurer, Colonel in the Black knights and knight to Princess Euphemia, Kururugi Suzaku!" Rivals said and the crowd responded to a cheer when they heard his name.

"Suzaku seems to be pretty popular!" Millie said to herself out loud.

"Well it's an open campus festival and many elevens came in the hopes of seeing Lelouch and Suzaku, they are after all along with Euphemia their idol and beacon of hope!" Lloyd replied to Millie's question and came up next to her.

"Ah! Earl Lloyd, come to admire the Ganymede in action?" Millie asked curious

"Yep! Also don't think I haven't stopped trying to acquire it!" Lloyd said playfully and they both watched the event.

Kallen was next to them and she took Lloyd's words to heart and was amazed at how many people believed in Lelouch and Suzaku and hoped for a better future.

"Lelouch!" Shirley said as she angrily went to get him making her accidently bump into Euphie making her hat and glasses fall of.

"Princess Euphemia!" she said in surprise, the crowd heard this and rushed over to where she was surrounding her.

Suzaku saw this, abandoned the pizza and rushed with the Ganymede to her aid, needless to say that the pizza was ruined, much to C.C horror.

"Are you all right, Princess Euphemia?" Suzaku said as he picked her up with the Ganymede.

"Yes. I'm fine!" she replied.

"Princess Euphemia, a comment please!" one reporter said to her.

"Can you show this transmission throughout the Country?" Euphie asked.

"He? Live do you mean?" the reporter asked.

"Euphie what are you doing?" Suzaku asked curious.

"I have an important announcement to make!" she replied to Suzaku with a smile.

**(Tokyo harbor, Cornelia's departure point)**

"Your highness it's princess Euphemia!" Guilford said to Cornelia as she was tending to her machine.

"What's she up to now?" Cornelia said a tired tone in her voice.

"We now go live to an announcement by the Vice-governor" the news anchor said.

"This is Area 11 Vice-governor Euphemia, of the Holy Empire of Brittannia , I have something I would like to tell all of you, my brother Lelouch labor law reform and 'Phoenix Fund' was just the first step in a much larger program!" she said and it astounded all t hose present at what she was talking about.

Euphie lied about Lelouch's reforms but she hoped he wouldn't be to upset about that and she continued.

"This following announcement is the next step in the program: I, Euphemia di Brittannia, hereby declare the establishment of The Special Administrative Zone of Japan around Mount Fuji!" and the crowd was shocked and astounded at her words.

"WHAT!" Lelouch said in shock.

"The existence of Japan is acknowledged by Brittannia?" Suzaku said astounded.

Within this special district of Japan, the Elevens will be returned their true name of Japanese. All restriction on Eleven's actions as well as special Brittannian privileges will be overruled in said area. Brittanian and Japanese will exists as equals!" Euphie happily pronounced.

"_Stop it Euphie! What you are saying would be the natural course of how things went, but it's too early for that, I wanted to eliminate all of the racist nobles and men in power before doing that and now since you made this announcement they will come gunning for you!"_ Lelouch screamed to himself in his head with concern for his sister.

"Can you hear me? Members of the Slayers! I will question neither you're pasts nor you're true identity, so please, be a part of the new Japan! Todoh, Ohgi and all the others, join me and my brother Lelouch and create a new future from within Brittannia!" she said to the cheers of approval of the Japanese present.

"Japan? Is she serious?" one student asked.

"Well she has the hot's for that stinking eleven Kururugi!" two racist students of Ashford said.

"Hey don't talk about Suzaku that way!" A third student and a fourth defended him.

Lelouch who by now left the booth and heard those words knew that the quarrel between those four students was actually predicting the future of the Empire.

Half would be pro equal rights and half against it, and sooner or later the house could not remain divided and it would have to be unified, by whatever means possible….

**Author's note **

**Read and Review, let me know if I should continue.**


	26. Phase XXVI: Smoke on the water

Phase XXVI: Smoke on the water.

**(Government Facility meeting room Tokyo)**

**A month after the announcement at Ashford, December 23**

The government officials who were smart enough or just too well placed for Lelouch to prosecute were having a meeting on what to do next.

"The Special Administrative Zone of Japan. There have been some bad rumors about her Highness, Princess Euphemia but…" one of the officials said.

"You're referring to her relationship with Kururugi?" another one said "There have been rumors that this Area is been prepared for upgrade to a state with full rights and to make sure of its loyalty they plan to have the two of them engaged."

"Don't tell me it's connected to the top level?" a female official said.

"That can't be possible. Like a princess would ever be married to a number." The undersecretary and unofficial leader of the group said.

"Even so, if there is the slightest change that it were true…" another one said.

"Yes, we need to break off any ties with them." The undersecretary said

"Too late." Darlton said and he along with Bartley entered the room surprising those present.

"We have gathered all the evidence, Undersecretary. You all have been receiving benefits from the N.A.C." Darlton added.

"General Darlton, thank you! With this.. With this, I can finally eliminate those insolent fools who exploited His Highness Clovis. Due to her highness Princess Euphemia's idea for a Special Administrative Zone, the number rats from within our ranks were thrown into confusion was a lot larger than I thought!" Bartley said.

**(Japan special administrative Zone, Mount Fuji)**

"The number of applicants for the Special Administrative Zone of Japan has exceeded 200.000.

Looks like this figure will continue to rise" Suzaku said as he and Euphie supervised the construction of the place where the opening ceremony was to begin.

"It's all thanks to you and Lelouch!" Euphie said to him.

"What are you talking about? Lelouch is the one who did all the work I just helped him!" Suzaku replied confused.

"That may be true, but you are a representative of the Japanese people, without someone to make the first step other will not follow, you showed them that it was possible. That's why everyone believes in this place, right?" Euphie answered happily.

"No. It's because it was an announcement from a Princess herself, isn't that so? I really am…thankful." Suzaku replied.

"I should be the one thanking you. You will help me with various things in the future, right?" Euphie asked.

"Yes, Your…."

"Geez!" Euphie cut Suzaku off.

"It' a shame I won't be able to attend the Ceremony tomorrow." Suzaku said dismayed.

"What do you mean?" Euphie asked concerned.

"Xingke's fleet is just 50 miles sea bound from this Position, this afternoon Lelouch and I set off with our own fleet to get rid of that threat." Suzaku replied.

"So as you can see I can't…." Suzaku tried to add but was cut off when Euphie gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

"That was for good luck!" Euphie said and she enjoyed the sight of Suzaku blushing.

**(Tokyo, Governors' office)**

Many people were surprised by what happened a month ago, and didn't know how do react, Nina was among them.

To address what is to be done in the Future Schneizell from Tokyo was having a conversation with Cornelia who was now hammering at the E.U positions in Turkey and Egypt pushing for the Suez and Bosporus canals.

"Euphie sure is amazing! With this the terrorist cells within Area 11 will lose whatever support of the people in had left and will collapse. Public order will be restored too meaning that we will be able to mobilize the local garrison and Lelouch and his Black Knights can then be mobilized to assist you with the E.U" Schneizell said to Cornelia.

"Personally, I'm against this plan." She coldly replied.

"But you understand. That's why you sent Darlton to assist her, right?" Schneizell asked.

"I must put an official announced political measure into action. That is the obvious step for me to take as the Governor- General." She replied.

"Are you going to accept what is going to happen from an official standpoint?" Schneizell asked curious at which Cornelia did not know how to respond.

**(Six houses of Kyoto meeting room)**

"The Special Administrative Zone of Japan. This isn't something bad Tatsunori Osakabe said.

"Can we find any values in the Japan they give us?" Hidenobu Kubouin said.

"The current situation is the result of our resistance. There's no need to feel ashamed" Taizo Kirihara said.

"Lord Kirihara, I heard that, due to your close ties with the extraction of Sakuradite, you have been promised a considerable position within the Special Administrative Zone!" Kubouin accused him.

"There's no such thing. I am just invited to attend the ceremony." He replied.

"What a good excuse" Tousai Munakata spat out.

"You all…." Kirihara said astounded at his lack of support.

"What about the 'Slayers?" Kaguya asked concerned.

**(Slayers military base, a few hours later.)**

"The situation is serious. Our supporters are literally depleting by the hour, the rank and file are stable since because of Prince Lelouch only the most staunch anti-Brittannian's have joined the 'Slayers' but they are showing support for the Special Administrative Zone!" Todoh said.

"The Special Administrative Zone is different from the 'Slayers" since there aren't any risks of getting killed!" Kaguya replied.

"Also, it's a princess from an established lineage, a Prince who is considered the finest military commander there is , compared to an organization who has a former school teacher as it's leader and wanted criminals as its military commanders, just based on that sentence its obvious which side is more dependable." Laksharta replied there was no accusatory tone in her voice and the others didn't treat it as so.

"Kyoto with the exception of Lady Kaguya which is with us said that they are going to support them to." Ohgi said.

"Why the heck is that?" Tamaki asked frustrated.

"Because they said we'll be treated equally" Minami replied.

"Equally? Can words alone be trusted?" Kallen asked.

"I agree."Asahina replied.

"But we have to make a decision soon!" Urabe added.

"Hey why don't we tell them we support?" Ohgi asked nervous.

"Wouldn't that make the Brittannian's think were weak and anyway how can we trust their word?" Tamaki asked.

"The Slayers objectives don't contradict with supporting the Special Administrative Zone." Ohgi replied.

"They will use the pretense of peace to force us to disarm!" Chiba replied.

"We will lose our independence and be controlled by the system" Todoh replied.

"However, we will be branded as the enemy of freedom and equality if we don't join them!" Kaguya replied.

"Couldn't we just hide our weapons somewhere where they couldn't find them?" Ohgi asked and suddenly Kaguya got an idea.

"That's it! We simply remove our equipment to a place outside of Japan! With thing as they are we will be forced to move the whole Slayers organization abroad in order to preserve it, we will say we support the Zone, but remain vigilant if they try to break their word, that will give us the excuse to keep our weapons!" Kaguya replied.

"But how do we move them, how do we feed them or hide that from Brittannia?" Todoh asked.

"Moving the population won't be that difficult, however the necessary supplies and equipment transfer would take at least a year to do that!" Kaguya said and she wondered how they would get that.

**(Tokyo concession)**

"I'm sorry for making you take a side trip, but because of the paparazzi I can barely buy a cup of coffee without it appearing on the six o clock news!" Lelouch with a helmet on his head to hide his face said to Rivals who was on his bike.

"Well it's been a while since we did stuff like this. I heard you're going to meet up with Shirley!" Rivals replied.

"It's an apology for what happened at the opera and keeping my identity a secret, it arrived late because of my military duties and the creation of the Special Administrative Zone required my help" Lelouch replied.

"I bet! Anyway it's good for you to hurry and patch things up with Shirley." Rivals replied.

"What's this about the Special Administrative Zone?" Rivals and Lelouch heard and they turned their heads to where the shouting was coming from.

"What's the point in providing support? Who would sign such a thing? Those below should be obedient and listen to those on top!" a nobleman said and he hit a young Japanese who was advertising for support of the special zone.

"And since that Zone has been authorized by the Imperial Family the nobility is expected to support it, by what you are saying you yourself are a criminal for not following your own philosophy" Lelouch said as he paced a few steps close to the nobleman, he still had his helmet on so they didn't see his face.

Lelouch then walked between the aristocrat and the young man.

"You little brat! Who do you think you are!" the noble said and he wacked Lelouch's head with hi cane making his helmet fall off.

"Eh!" the noble said as he choked in horror at who the person he just hit was and knew that the penalty for attacking a prince was death regardless of status.

Lelouch enjoyed the sheer look of terror he saw in the nobles eyes and noticed that his bodyguard being a smart man has already ran away deciding to enjoy himself he took a step closer and another and another all the while savoring the way the noble back up in sheer terror since the nobility now regarded him as 'the demon' for his actions in Japan.

"BOO!" Lelouch shouted and the nobleman ran off as fast as his feet could take him, to Lelouch it was like receiving an early Christmas present.

"Ah, thank you very much!" the young man said to him.

"No problem at all." Lelouch said as he turned and the young Japanese boy and the others who helped him were stunned at who his savior was.

Lelouch then picked up the petition handed it back to him.

"Keep up the good work!" said and gave the young man a pat on the back and left the still stunned man and his friends with Rivals.

From a above Shirley saw the whole thing and seeing Lelouch in his 'Prince mode' was to Shirley's eyes very….sexy to say the least.

**(Special Administrative Zone, Euphie's room)**

Euphie along with Nunnally and were giving Suzaku a going to see party, Lelouch was also celebrate but he went to the bathroom for a moment.

Euphie was using the Karaoke machine and singing an old Bon Jovi song.

"I gave my heart and you play your game!

You give love a bad name!

"Shot through the heart and you're to blame!" Euphie sang an pointed dramatically in a random direction, only to stop singing when she realized that she accidentally pointed at Lelouch who returned from to the bathroom.

"Like I would ever do something like that!" Lelouch jokingly said in fake protest which caused the whole room to laugh.

"Well I hate take Suzaku away from your seduction efforts Euphie, but unfortunately he and me have a plane to catch!" Lelouch said and he dragged Suzaku out off the room, leaving an embarrassed Euphie and laughing Nunnally behind.

**30 minutes later, on a river.**

"You didn't have to say something like that Lelouch!" Suzaku said as he and Lelouch got out of the car which they drove to a riverboat, despite the fact that Lelouch said they had a plain to catch the used a river boat since if it was targeted by missiles or sabotage they're wouldn't be several thousands of feet between them and the ground.

"I was just joking!" Lelouch said and he went to the cars trunks to get his mask out of it, the car was a, minivan disguise as a pizza delivery one to avoid the paparazzi.

"Thank you Millie!" Lelouch said after he opened the door to the van and a hand gave him his helmet.

He closed the door and walked a few feet, before stopping after realizing what just happened.

"Hey what are you guys doing here!" he shouted to Rivals, Millie, Nina and Shirley who got out of the minivan.

"Well Shirley wanted to see just how manly you are in war!" Millie said while Shirley blushed at the statement.

"This isn't some fireworks show! This is war, you could all be killed!" Suzaku said in a demeaning manner.

"Oh come on Suzaku, don't be like that!" Rivals said to his friend.

"Suzaku, if we don't let them stay Millie over here will probably expose to the world those pictures she took of us during the cross-dressing festival" Lelouch said and Millie made a facial gestured that which said was correct.

Suzaku at this was astounded, but he wasn't certain what terrified him the most, Lelouch eerie ability to read someone's mind, or Millie and what went on in here's.

**(50 miles of the coast of Tokyo)**

"The enemy fleet is preparing to Launch?" Xingke the overall commander said to captain Donitz.

"Yes sir! Reports have confirmed that the 'Iron Prince' and his subordinates are the ones who will command the fleet" the captain replied.

"Also we have received a message from 'The Slayers' it seems that since we will give them Horai Island to use as their own they are sending Todoh and five of their elite knightmare pilots, including the Guren all with the new 'Flight model' Akatsukis to back us up" Huang said to his commander.

"That is good news, since our opponents is Zero we will need all the help we can get!" Xingke replied.

**(The next day December 24****th**** Special Administrative Zone ceremonial Grounds)**

This was the big day for Japan, the day when the people started to receive their rights back, everyone in the world was watching this, the E.U council, The Eunuch's of China, even the emperor from the world of C was viewing it, the mighty battle which was about o take place at sea was entirely ignored, at least until the victors would be decided.

"Princess Euphemia it's time!" Darlton said to her and she got up from her seat and made her way to the microphone.

**(6 hour earlier, 50 miles sea bound of Mount Fuji)**

Lelouch forces consisted of three fleets versus Xingke fleet of four, despite the apparent disadvantage, one brittannian navy was larger than one Chinese fleet making the two combatants equal in terms of ships and firepower, the one decisive factor would be the leaders of the fleets.

Lelouch plan in order to succeed needed the enemy fleet to exhaust most of its ammunition, so the hardest part of the battle began.

"This is field marshal Lelouch vi Brittannia to all ships, we are now within firing range of the enemy fleet all ships, on my mark you will fire commencing the battle…FIRE!" and the silence and tranquility of the morning was replaced by the storm of war.

Rivals, Millie, Shirley and Nina were all in a small metal plated armored caravel with a speed engine, a few miles to the rear of the fleet, behind Lelouch flagship which was where he was stationed.

"Man I thought we would see the battle from up front the bridge or at least a ship deck!" Rivals said to his friends.

"Lelouch is the commander of the fleet, he knows the dangers of this battle, and he gave us radar to view the formation and a telescope to!" Shirley replied.

And they continued to watch the battle.

**(Administrative Zone ceremonial Grounds)**

"Everyone we will now begin the ceremony for the Special Administrative Zone of Japan, I regret to inform you that my Brother commander Zero and my knight Kururugi Suzaku unfortunately could not be present since they are now fighting against the pirate fleet which has plagued the shores of this country for the past several months." Euphie replied to the cheers of the crowd.

Just then they heard some noise and turned their attention to where it was coming from, they saw Ohgi riding the Gawain to the ceremony platform.

**(Present time** **50 miles sea bound of Mount Fuji)**

" HMS Grant, Sherman and Sheridan move 500 meters north westwards and fire and point 3 1 5" Lelouch ordered.

"The Vegeta, Napa and Raditz retreat 300 miles and the Tiger to remain ready for maneuvers" Xingke countered.

"HMS Lee, Longstreet and Stonewall move 400 meter south and prepare for and outflanking maneuver!" Lelouch ordered.

"USS Heineken, Carlsberg and Tuborg move 500 meters south and prepare for engagement!" Xingke countered once more.

"_So he has countered my moves once more, I'd expect nothing else from the man who managed to see through my trap at Fukuoka!" _Lelouch said to himself.

"What are our estimates of the enemies remaining ammunition?" Lelouch asked the captain of the ship.

"After six hours of fighting we estimate that the enemy has exhausted between 80- 90% of its ammunition" the captain replied.

"_Not as much as I lied, but we are in the same predicament as them with our ammunition, also both fleets have suffered 10% casualties, it's now or never I guess!"_ Lelouch said to himself.

"Jeremiah, Suzaku, Viletta , Kewell, George and Omar" enter your machines and sortie out, the final blow comes now!" Lelouch ordered his men.

"Yes sir!" They replied and launched the Lancelots now had float systems so they could escort the Siegfried to attack the enemy fleet.

"Slayers deploy and counter those knightmares!" Xingke ordered and they obeyed.

"_He's going to use those Lancelots against our flying knightmares and that giant orange to decimate our fleet!" _Xingke said seeing through Lelouch plan or so he thought.

"Looks like you were right Lelouch, the Slayers have given their military assistance to the enemy fleet!" Suzaku said through the radio.

"Then it's time to end this, initiate chafe smoke!" he ordered and they complied.

"All units stay alert, no matter what happens! We must not let one of them past us!" Todoh ordered his men and they formed a defensive formation in front of the smoke screen.

"Hey yaaaaaaa!" Suzaku shouted and he managed to check both Todoh and Kallen with his two MASSER swords, he knew he couldn't hold it for long however.

Chiba was checked by Viletta, Asahina by Kewell, Urabe by George and Senba by Bradley.

"We can't hold them for long! Go and destroy the fleet!" Kewell said and the 'Siegfried' ran past them towards Xingke fleet.

"A good tactic Zero, however I have counter fro that as well!" Xingke said and he ordered every ship to unload all ammunition at the Siegfried, which unlike Fukuoka were only a few fighter jets managed to hit him with their missiles before he activated his spin and destroyed the missiles and the jets before it hit him and the shield now would have to face the full force of stronger and more numerous missiles and battleship guns.

"_It took what's left off our ammunition to destroy that thing, but wit it down Colonel Todoh can win the aerial battle and then we can destroy the enemy fleet from the air." _Xingke said to himself with a smile just before the missiles impacted the Siegfried.

And his smile turned to an expression of shock, because once the missiles impacted the Siegfried didn't explode….it popped.

"_That wasn't the Siegfried! It was a balloon, some kind of fast moving blimp to make us use up our ammunition! But where's the Siegfried then_ ?" Xingke asked himself panicked as he surveyed the radar for the Siegfried.

"A good strategy Li, you truly are a Dragon! However I am a dragon among dragons, feel the wrath of the Niddhog! Now Jeremiah! " Lelouch said over the ships speakers and it was so loud that Xingke heard it over them.

"Yes my Lord!" Jeremiah relied and the Siegfried emerged from beneath the waves a few feet short of Xingke fleet.

"The Giant Orange can go under water!" Xingke accidently said over the speakers.

"G….GIANT ORANGE! I AM NOT AN ORANGE DIE!" Jeremiah said and he unleashed the Siegfried at Xingke decimating his right wing portion of his fleet.

"The enemy's right flank has collapsed, the right wing under me will envelop them from the North, the left wing will do the same from the South and we will cut them to pieces with our remaining ammunition!" Lelouch ordered and the Brittannian Fleet began its maneuvers.

Xingke looked at the approaching enemy fleet, knowing that they used what was left of their ammunition on the fake Siegfried, and with the Siegfried now helping the others Lancelots against Todoh, it would be only a matter of time before checkmate.

"Do we have any ammunition?" Xingke asked his men.

"Just one intercontinental ballistic missile aboard this ship sir!" Zhou Xianglin said to her commander.

"That will do! We may have lost this battle, but we can still save the fleet and strike and the king if we do this right!" Xingke said and he explained how he planned to play his final ace.

**(Mount Fuji Special Administrative Zone ceremony grounds)**

"It's him! Commander Ohgi!" those members of the assembled crowd said.

"So they decided to participate!" Euphie said to herself with joy.

"Did you accept your defeat?" Darlton said to himself with a smile.

"Welcome commander Ohgi, welcome to the Special Administrative Zone of Japan!" Euphie said cheerfully.

I welcome your greeting Princess Euphemia….I am here as the representatives of the Slayers!" Ohgi hesitantly replied.

**(Present time** **50 miles sea bound of Mount Fuji)**

"I have come to deliver the response of the Slayers, we will support the Special Administrative Zone of Japan, and we will protect it and continue to defend the civilian population against injustice and abuse wherever if may appear!" Ohgi said reading from a piece of paper.

A round of applause came from the crowd and he walked over and signed the Zone's participation papers.

"_So what you're basically saying we may have lost today, we will not surrender? That's what every defeated army says!" _Darlton said to himself with a smile at their great and bloodless victory.

A round of cheers and applauses came from the crowd; names were cheered from the crowd Euphemia, Lelouch, Suzaku, Ohgi, Todoh, The Black Knights and The Slayers.

"And now since it's a special occasion and Christmas, I think we should celebrate with some music, Euphie said and the voice of Frank Sinatra was heard over the speakers.

**It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year  
With the kids jingle belling  
And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer"  
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year **

"This is Field Marshall Lelouch vi Brittannia, all enemy forces surrender or we will blow you of the water!" Lelouch said to Xingke.

"Now!" Xingke said and the ballistic missile was shot at Lelouch ship since with the flanking maneuvers they came very close to it and id did great damage to Lelouch ship which now was a blazing inferno.

**It's the hap -happiest season of all  
With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings  
When friends come to call  
It's the hap - happiest season of all  
**

Just then snow started to fall from the sky above the special administrative zone, to everyone present it was a sign that God himself was pleased of the Special Administrative Zone, an everyone started celebrating by singing along with Frank, even the Brittannian's in the knightmare forgot about their distaste for the now former elevens and started joining them in singing.

Meanwhile back at sea Lelouch ship was a blazing inferno, he was veering his armor and helmet so the fire wasn't affecting him, but the shock wave shattered his glass and hurt his eardrums leaving him blind and deaf

**There'll be parties for hosting  
Marshmallows for toasting  
And caroling out in the snow  
There'll be scary ghost stories  
And tales of the glories of  
Christmases long, long ago  
**

"My eye!" he said to his left eye which was damaged from the glass and he wondered blind and deaf from the command deck to the ships deck

**It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year  
There'll be much mistltoeing  
And hearts will be glowing  
When love ones are near  
**

"My lord!" Jeremiah screamed as he saw the flagship ablaze, this gave Todoh enough time to attack his Siegfried, damaging it and making it plunge from the sky and into the deep waters of the Pacific.**  
**

"WE just received the order for a retreat! All units fall back to the fleet while the enemy is still confused!" Todoh ordered

**It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year**"Lord Jeremiah, Lelouch!" Suzaku screamed desperately at them but didn't know who to go after first.

"Suzaku, Bradley and Patton you go help the Prince! Myself and Viletta will help Jeremiah!" Kewell ordered and they all complied.

Back onboard the flagship Lelouch was wandering the deck, it was in a sense a good thing he was blind and death, since he couldn't see the sight of men been blown to pieces or being burned alive…..

**There'll be parties for hosting  
Marshmallows for toasting **

, or hear their screams and cries of agony.

**And caroling out in the snow  
There'll be scary ghost stories  
And tales of the glories of  
Christmases long, long ago  
**

"_This has been the best Christmas ever; I can't wait until Lelouch gets back then it will be perfect" _Euphie cheerfully said in her mind as she saw the wonderful sight of all those present singing along, for those short three and a half minutes there was no Brittannian, no number, no master or servant, no rich or poor, there was just people with their hearts and souls united in the spirit of Christmas, truly it was a wondrous sight

**It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year  
There'll be much mistltoeing  
And hearts will be glowing  
When love ones are near **

Lelouch continued to wonder until he reached the edge off the deck, and a the way the ship rocked after the explosion made Lelouch loose his balance and go over the rail, but he managed to catch and hold the rail with one arm.

**It's The Most Wonderful Time **

He tried pulling himself up, but his lack of body strength, and pain from the shockwave and his wounded eyes was too much and he lost his grip, falling down towards the water

**It's The Most Wonderful Time **

Lelouch hit the water and his body fell to the deeps of the ice cold water of the Pacific, blinded by the explosion, he was now surrounded by coldness, no air and darkness

**It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.**

**Authors note:**

**This is where R1 ends and R2 begins so there will be a time skip.**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue.**


	27. Turn I: Nevermore

Turn I: Nevermore.

**December 18, 2018 A.T.B**

"_Japan, a small nation several miles of the coat of Asia in the Pacific ocean, eight years ago it tried to transform from a global power into a superpower, it challenged the mighty Brittannian Empire, it lost the war and it's people lost their country, their rights and even their name, but a Prince called Lelouch, along with his allies fight against that and this foreign invader has become in the eyes of the numbers the savior which they had been waiting for, a year ago they created the establishment of the Special Administrative Zone on Christmas eve, the first step in which the elevens would regain their freedom._

_On that same day a great sea battle raged on the ocean, during which Lelouch was victorious and cemented his place both in history and within the empire, there seemed to be much cause for even greater celebration…until the population heard the rest of the news, the 'Iron Prince' was greatly wounded in the fight and he fell in a coma, the Chinese seeing this as a sign from heaven started a second invasion of Kyushu, the Black Knights thrown into chaos from the fall of their mighty leader were unable to respond in time, now in Kyushu Sawasaki reigns, while the rest of Japan is ruled by Euphemia as Governor General along with Nunnally as Vice Governor, the world now stands in between the new age and the old, whatever happens from now on and who will bring the new age is anybody's guess" _C.C narrated to herself from a hilltop outside Tokyo

Her memory of what happened a year ago was clear.

**(One year ago Governor's palace medical facility)**

Lelouch was brought to Tokyo after being rescued by Millie and the others, when he was left alone C.C came to his room.

"Look at you, I remember how when I made the offer for Geass you said that 'Only a human can decide the fate of mankind' and now look what sticking to that rule got you, wounded, in a coma, defeated, this is all you are ever going to achieve as a human…..however…. I will give you that power and save you from your fate." C.C said to him and reached out to make the contract, but suddenly Lelouch caught her hand and C.C just froze in shock, she looked at his face to see if he was awake.

But he was not awake, he was still in a coma, but the way he grabbed her hand it was like he was saying 'no cutting corners' , his grip on her loosened, then his arm fell back down, C.C after this decided to simply wait and see what would happen next, she had lived for centuries after all, to her what was a few years extra?.

**(Present day, Kyushu block)**

Kallen was doing reconnaissance for the 'Slayers' and as she walk through the streets of Kyushu' capital she could not help but fell disgusted at what she saw.

After Sawasaki successfully invaded he was immediately went to work, every single man who entered the 'Phoenix Fund" was arrested and moved to a labor camp, the Buildings of the Phoenix fund were abandoned right before completion and Kallen could view them rusting.

Sawasaki had turned the island into one giant prison, soldiers patrolled the streets and arrests on those who were declared a 'Traitor to Japan' were common every day.

During this time Lelouch or Zero as he called himself for the people of Kyushu transformed from an idol into a symbol of hope, she witnessed herself that in many secret churches and altars some people prayed for the 'Iron Prince' to be healed and for him to return to free them.

Kallen herself was very shaken up after what happened a year ago and she recalled.

**A year ago….**

Upon seeing Lelouch flag ship burst into flames she immediately flew over there to see if he was fine.

Lelouch was now floating at the surface of the water, he was no idiot, he knew to prepare for any situation no matter how absurd it may be, so before leaving port, he dressed himself in a special Zero costume, it was insulated against water, it had an inflatable life jacked which activated automatically if he fell in water, and his mask was equipped with a small oxygen supply which would keep him breathing even if his mask's glass was shattered.

"Oh my God there he is!" Shirley shouted spotting his location, once they saw Lelouch ship hit Millie quickly drove the boat they were on to search for their friend if he fell in the water.

"Hang on buddy, we got you!" Rivals said as they pulled an unconscious Lelouch out off the water.

"Dear Lord, look at his left eye!" Millie said as they laid him on the floor.

"He needs a doctor!" the speakers of the Guren said as Kallen hovered above.

"It's that red knightmare!" Nina shouted in sheer terror of what was before.

"Like we'll let you guys take him prisoner! You'll just shoot him for fun!" Rivals shouted and covered his friend's unconscious body.

"He won't be hurt, you have my word Rivals!" Kallen said and she lifted her cockpit top showing her face.

"Kallen!" Shirley said astounded to see her friend was the pilot of the red knightmare.

"So you really are e member of the Slayers!" Millie said to herself since she suspected it.

Just then a barrage of warning shots were fired around Kallen from George, Omar and Suzaku's Lancelots.

"That's close enough Kallen! Back away or we will kill you!" Suzaku replied.

"I was just trying to take him to a doctor!" Kallen said to them.

"Oh take him to a doctor! And that doctor would just happen to be with the Chinese now would he, like I'd let you take him there! The Chinese hate Lelouch more than any other member of the royal family from what he did to them at Fukuoka, what do you think they do to him after they healed him eh?" Suzaku angrily spat back.

Kallen at this didn't know how to react, and just the she received the retreat order from Todoh and complied.

**Present time….**

Kallen before returning to her extraction point decided to steal a glance at one particular building which she hated the most…..it was the new Federal Palace.

A few blocks away from the old Brittannian government facility the Chinese Federal Palace stood about 70% complete.

To say it was big was an understatement, it was massive, a massive step pyramid in the middle of the city.

Unlike Brittannia which after conquering a country transferred all of that country's assets into building homes for the workers who would cooperate with the conquerors and building government facility's with bare minimal requirements the Chinese Built and imperial palace in each city, their purpose was nothing like the much smaller, cheaper and more efficient Brittannian Government Palaces and did not have any administrative, political or military purpose.

It's only purpose was to remind the people who was boss, all of Kyushu's wealth was taken from rebuilding the Country with the 'Phoenix Fund' into a senseless building with no purpose, Sawasaki himself authorized his construction and that lunatic imprisoned anyone who opposed them.

Kallen then continued on her way to the extraction point stealing one last glance at the 'Rebuilt Ghetto's' whose construction was stopped right before completion, and the useless Federal Palace which sucked Kyushu dry, at the Chinese soldiers who patrolled the streets day and night, and to the people who were in a hell 100 times more worse than the number system, Kallen could not believe she would ever miss seeing Brittannian rule, and as she walked away her mind confused and disoriented, one thing she was certain off, this was not the Japan she fought for.

**(Government Facility Tokyo)**

"And with this the paper work for the 12th Special administrative Zone is finished!" Euphie said to Nunnally puffing in exhaustion.

"Over 50 million Japanese now benefit from these Special Zones, also it has increased Japan's annual income by almost 70% in just under a year, by now it's only a matter of time before the number system is abolished!" Nunnally said happily.

At this Euphie looked at the wall in sadness.

"What's the matter Euphie is Suzaku a bad boyfriend…or is he unable to perform up to expectations?" Nunnally asked, blushing greatly at her own question, her time with C.C gave her a great deal of knowledge of boy-girl relationships.

"No…no it's not that, we haven't even gotten that far ye!" Euphie said blushing even greater than Nunnally.

"It's just…..I wish Lelouch was here" Euphie replied saddened.

"I know what you mean!, I Miss big brother as well!" Nunnally said saddened.

Just then Nunnally's phone rang, Euphie's did as well.

"Hello " they both answered in unison.

**(Tokyo Park)**

Jeremiah and Sayoko were having a sort of winter picnic together, Jeremiah by now had cyber enhancements, since falling from such a high altitude during the naval battle a year ago his bones were all shattered and he was crippled from the waist down, Lloyd however offered him a chance to be healed, namely going through the experimental procedure to become a cyborg they found after Narita along with the Siegfried.

It took 30 seconds for Lloyd to make his offer, and in only took Jeremiah 0.30 seconds to say yes, Lloyd warned him there was a high change it would fail, but he considered it worth the change since it would allow him to be able to move once more and he went through the procedure successfully.

"Can I ask a question of you Jeremiah-san?" Sayoko asked.

"What is it miss Sayoko?" he replied.

"Why don't the Black Knights go and liberate Kyushu?" she asked.

"It's not that simple, with the war against the E.U and China sponsoring them all of our resources are going to the navy so they don't strangle us to death, and although the enemy troops are stationed in the cities since as you can imagine Sawasaki isn't very popular, it would take us at least a day to load them onto ships and het them there, but it would take them about six hours to get to the beaches and cut us to pieces as we tried to land!" Jeremiah replied sadly.

"So is there nothing you could do?" Sayoko asked

"WE could go there and we most probably win, but the Black Knights would be greatly weakened and the E.U would then invade Honshu, and Japan, minus Kyushu is completely rebuilt, an invasion would mean it's destruction and I couldn't bear to see my maters work destroyed…..it's the only thing left of him now" Jeremiah said sadly

Sayoko seeing this hugged him in order to comfort him.

While being hugged and returning the gesture, Jeremiah looked at the other people and saw just how much Japan had changed, the common people realizing they could make good money doing business with them did so, and money has a strange way of bringing people together, relationships between common Brittannian's and Japanese improved greatly, that combined with the country being rebuilt made Japan look like the how it was before the second Pacific war.

The nobles in Japan didn't like it but thanks to the Prince they were powerless to stop it, he himself felt a little ashamed from being borne a noble.

But his happiness was mixed with sadness, for the people in Kyushu suffered under Sawasaki's Japan, also the Slayers roamed freely in Honshu since the only one now smart enough to catch Kaguya was Prince Schneizell and he was already busy with the war to take care of Kaguya, the Black Knights now one of the most feared army's in the world were on the southern beaches of Honshu defending them from an invasion from Sawasaki that never came.

"_It's like time stood still for the Black Knights the minute the Prince fell into his deep coma."_ Jeremiah lamented in his mind sadly

Just then his cell phone rang, Sayoko's did as well.

"Hello?" they both said into their respective telephones.

**(Streets of Munich , E.U)**

"I'll only ask you once more, where in the E.U is the Geass order?" Cornelia said to the man she tortured for information.

"It's no longer in the E.U….it's now in a location within the Chinese Federation…." The tortured man said between gasps of pain.

"Where in the Chinese Federation?" Cornelia manically asked with her pistol sword at the man's neck.

"The Mongolian Desert…..I don't know the exact location, only the high ranking member know.." the man weakly replied.

"Danke." Cornelia replied and sliced the man's neck killing him.

She then continued on with her journey.

After hearing that Lelouch was injured she rushed back to his side as soon as the war against the E.U permitted her to do so, after she visited him at the hospital, she went to his room to bring him the picture of Marianne he had on his desk, there she out of curiosity looked at his desk and saw a scribbled sticky note which read 'Remember to be vigilante of Geass' after that she researched it and with the help of data from Lelouch's computer which she cracked with Suzaku's help realized that geass was the power of every tyrant, monster, which and warlock that history said existed.

Cornelia came to the conclusion that Lelouch discovered the existence of Geass and thought he was waging a war against it , since form his computer she found out that the 'Iron Hawk' of the Black Knights was in fact the Symbol of Geass struck by a sword, meaning he decided to destroy that unholy power and he didn't know who to thrust, and she came to the conclusion that it was those who used Geass that struck her brother down, so she went to avenge her little brother.

Her cell phone rang, but she didn't answer it since she was to preoccupied with her quest to even notice it.

**(Asia Minor. Cornelia's 8****th**** army)**

Darlton had for the past year been leading Cornelia army in her absence, Guilford stayed in Japan in order to help and protect the Princesses Nunnally and Euphemia.

Returning from a victory over the E.U was Suzaku, and Darlton saw the troops which Suzaku past were all saluting him, giving him a wide birth, and cheering his name as he past, some out of fear of his power, but the majority out of respect and admiration for 'The Silver Knights' of Euphemia 'The people's princess' and the comrade of Zero.

"Looks like today went well for us, right Colonel?" Darlton said as both men saluted each other.

"Today went well; the E.U will be quiet for while in this sector." Suzaku replied with a combination of indifference to the outcome and respect for his mentor.

"What happened to Prince Lelouch was not your fault Kururugi!" Darlton said and this caught Suzaku off guard.

"How can I not… I was there…I feel that if I fought a little harder, he wouldn't had been killed…..I replayed the battle a thousand time in my head and know that it's not true, but….but it steals feels like I failed him…."Suzaku said as tears threatened to stream down his eyes.

Unknown to Darlton Suzaku also developed a great hatred for Geass after finding out about it from Lelouch, blaming geass for his friends current situation, he did not hate Lelouch for keeping Geass a secret from him since at West Point there were told to expect certain secrets to be kept from them by their commander, and to even expect something like that.

Darlton in regards to feeling guilty about not being able to do more in regards to the naval battle a year ago understood that, he himself had experienced that many times in his years in the army when he lost friends in battle and he put a comforting hand on Suzaku shoulders.

Just then Suzaku's phone rang and he picked it up.

**(Honshu Black knight's military base)**

Diethard, Odysseus, George and Omar, Kewell and Viletta were all going through various battle plans for an eventual invasion for Kyushu.

"It's no use, whatever plan we come up with it still leaves the Black Knights too weak to a E.U invasion of Honshu!" Viletta said to the present.

"We just don't have that spark of genius which the Prince possessed!" Diethard replied and a heavy silence fell over the room.

After a few minutes their cell phones rang and they picked them up.

**(Tokyo Government Facility , medical ward, Lelouch's room)**

Over Lelouch were two nurses Sophie and Meeya were monitoring him.

"What are you reading Meeya?" Sophie asked curious

"It's a scary poem written by Edgar Allen Poe, just listen!" Meeya replied and she started reciting

**Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,  
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,**

_In his mind Lelouch was literally adrift at sea, lost in the place between life and death._

**While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,  
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.  
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -  
Only this, and nothing more.'  
**

_A great shadow came over Lelouch and the human now caught in this strange realm_

**Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,  
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.  
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow  
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -  
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -  
Nameless here for evermore.  
**

_Before Lelouch a voice came "So this is what became of you human, and I was watching your adventures with such great interest."_

**And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain  
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;  
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating  
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -  
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -  
This it is, and nothing more,'  
**

_Lelouch then turned his head to see who it was_

**Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,  
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;  
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,  
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,  
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -  
Darkness there, and nothing more.  
**

_But when he did so nothing was there._

"_I've been caught in limbo for so long I've started losing my mind!" Lelouch said to himself with a chuckle at hi apparent loss of sanity _

**Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,  
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;  
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,  
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'  
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'  
Merely this and nothing more.  
**

"_I am afraid that this is not the realm of my sister Delirium, but you were close enough!" the voice now came from the opposite direction were Lelouch was looking at_

**Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,  
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.  
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;  
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -  
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -  
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'  
**

_Lelouch then turned his head to where the voice came a second time and finally saw his visitor._

**Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,  
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.  
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;  
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -  
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -  
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.**

_What he saw was a very pale man dressed in what seemed to be a black roman toga, on his shoulder a raven sat perched_

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,  
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,  
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.  
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -  
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'  
Quote the raven, `Nevermore.'

_For a while Lelouch just sat there and marveled at the sight of his guests before finally speakin._

**Much I marveled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,  
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;  
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being  
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -  
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,  
With such name as `Nevermore.'  
**

"_If I knew Death was coming for me I would have prepared some snacks to welcome you" Lelouch said to him with a smile._

**But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,  
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.  
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -  
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -  
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'  
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'**

"_Death is my other sister, and you are not dead mortal, you are in my realm, The Dreaming" he replied_

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,  
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,  
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster  
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -  
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore  
Of "Never-nevermore."'

"_The Dreaming?" Lelouch asked curious._

"_The place where all dreams come from, and I am it's master, I've been patient with you for long enough mortal and would kindly ask you to leave this realm and return to your own" he responded_

**But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,  
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;  
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking  
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -  
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore  
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'  
**

"_What are you talking about, I am in a coma, you can't just wake up from a coma whenever you like!...Can you?" Lelouch replied curious and slightly angry._

**This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing  
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;  
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining  
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,  
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,  
**_**She**_** shall press, ah, nevermore!  
**

"_A coma is a name given to something simple to understand, but humans refuse to comprehend on the basis that it cannot be as simple as that, you see sometimes when a human is injured or under great stress he lies in the realm where they're dreams come from, and you humans not wanting to return to your responsibilities remain here in my realm…good for nothing cowards!" he replied and Lelouch got angry at him_

**Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer  
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.  
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee  
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!  
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'  
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'**

"_What! You dare call me a coward, I've face destruction countless times, I've triumphed many times where others would have failed, my situation is proof of that, and you're just saying I am here because I am afraid to return, well I am not, and I dare you to call me a coward again!" Lelouch spat back_

_**is**_** there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'  
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'**

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -  
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,  
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -  
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -  
Is there -

"_I have always admired you're fighting spirit, but you yourself must know that somewhere deep down inside that you are afraid of going back there and dying, that is the reason why you hesitate to go back, and if that is not true, then fell free to attack me for my insolence." The being replied with a smile._

_Lelouch then felt anger boiling in him, he felt like a volcano ready to blow…..but he then simmered down in defeat knowing that he had lost._

"_You're right, I am afraid of going back there and dying….I really am a pathetic coward!" Lelouch said sickened at his of yellowness._

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!  
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -  
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,  
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -  
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'  
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

"_And is dying a bad thing? Can you avoid death? The answer is no, the time of your death is established in tandem with the time of your birth, you can climb the tallest mountain, cross the widest sea and hide in the deepest regions of the universe, but death will find you, I should know, my sister is very thorough with her work!" he replied to Lelouch._

_Lelouch was taken aback by this and he realized that he was right, he had to be right, the being after all was something much more powerful and older and wiser than him.__**  
**_

"_So what now? You tell me I should get my lazy ass of the couch and get back to work and then leave to view as I play around in the realm of mere mortals?" Lelouch said an angry tone in his voice._

"_Yes, that's pretty much it!" he replied unfazed._

_This took Lelouch aback, and he laughed whole heartily and the bland answer._

"_You know you shouldn't be so forward and friendly with lesser beings!" Lelouch replied to him happily._

"_Well people say I am kinder and different than my predecessor!" he replied cheerfully._

"_Well I think I should get out of here then, of by the way will we ever meet again?" Lelouch asked as he felt himself leaving this strange realm._

"_Perhaps..Perhaps not….you can continue to dream about it." he replied with a chuckle an irony of which Lelouch did not fail to comprehend and return the laugh and he faded away from the Dreaming._

**`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -  
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!  
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!  
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!  
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'  
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'  
**

"_Hey Daniel what was that nonsense about people being able to leave a coma whenever they want? You can't leave a coma like that, it's determined from the start when you fall into it and when you leave it, you should know since you're the boss around here!" Mathew the raven said to him_

"_Of course I know that Mathew! But I had to lie to him, I had to make him believe he can control his own fate, that gives humans hope; I had to give him hope, since all humans need hope for their dreams to come true." Daniel replied as he watched Lelouch return to the land of the living, and despite his status as one of the Endless was excited to continue to view his exploits._

**And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting  
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;  
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,  
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;  
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor  
Shall be lifted - nevermore!**

"That poem wasn't scary at all; it was just an emo guy on crack blaming an innocent bird for his own life!" Sophie replied.

"Well that's your opinion, but I think it's a good poem!" Sophie replied.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all." Lelouch calmly responded with his eyes open which caused both nurses to jump up in shock upon seeing him.

"Your…..your highness!" Sophie said in astoundment as Lelouch got to his feet without trouble, like his coma had just been an afternoon nap.

"Do any of you have a phone?" he asked calmly.

Both nurses after a moment of motionless one of them said:

"A phones?"

"Yes! I'd like to make some calls!" Lelouch replied

Meeya then gave him his phone, he activated the conference option and dialed every one he had a number with, and all responded with the exception of Cornelia.

"My Lord, you have awakened!" Jeremiah said over the phone with tears streaming down his eyes.

"Sorry it took me so long.

I was caught in the land of _Preludes and Nocturnes__._

Past _The Doll's House_where

_The Dream Country_ has its _Season of Mists._

There _A Game of You_ is played.

And after many _Fables and Reflections_of

Our _Brief Lives_ and the _World's End_

_T__he Kindly Ones_came and

_The Wake_came to me and

The _Endless Nights_ finally ended for me." Lelouch said to them.

"Lelouch are you OK?" Suzaku said wondering just what kind of medication they gave him at the hospital.

"I'm fine! I'm just messing with you guys!" Lelouch said and he heard a collective breath of relief from the others on the phone.

"Now listen I want all of you go gather at the Government center by Tomorrow evening, w have work to do!" Lelouch ordered them.

"What kind of work?" Diethard asked barely containing his excitement.

"We put our house in order mister Reed; we put our house in order!" Lelouch replied and he hanged up the phone.

**Author's note:**

**Read and review let me know if I should continue.**


	28. Turn II : Awaken Mustakrakish

Turn II : AwakenMustakrakish.

**(Tokyo Governors Palace, research facility)**

**The next day **

Lloyd and Cecile were reviewing data from Nina's experiments, Nina was present and so was Rivals, Millie and Shirley.

"I have to say Miss Einstein that this research is remarkable!" Lloyd replied.

"So do you think I will get funding for a prototype?" Nina asked curiously.

"More than that, I have already talked to his highness Prince Schneizell and he wants you to be part of his research team!" Lloyd said as he took a bite of KFC chicken for lunch.

"That's awesome! Congratulations Nina!" Rivals said to her friend.

"_With this is will be able to better serve Princess Euphemia!" _Nina cheerfully though to herself.

Just then while Lloyd reached for another piece of chicken he found a wish bone among his food.

"We'll look at this! Anyone care to make a wish with me?" Lloyd asked and Shirley stepped up, grabbed the bone, they both pulled and Shirley won.

"Might I ask what did you wish Miss Fenette?" Cecile asked.

"I wished Lulu would awake." Shirley said sadly and a sad atmosphere engulfed the whole room.

Just then Lelouch and Suzaku walked into the lab.

For a moment everyone just stared at the snapped wish bone.

"Man! Voodoo sure is powerful!" Millie suddenly said out loud.

"This did not faze Lelouch or Suzaku, they were used to their school presidents sudden outbursts.

"Lulu!" Shirley said and hugged him, then broke the hug and bombarded him with a barrage of questions, how long had he awaken, what was it like in a coma, was he alright…

"_Sorry, Shirley I don't have time for this"_ and gave Shirley a deep long kiss, needless to say that shocked everyone in the room.

"Sorry about that, but that's what I do when pretty girls just go berserk, I hope you don't mind but I have a lot of work to do and I will answer all of your questions after I finish it..OK!" Lelouch said after he broke the kiss to Shirley and the rest present.

Shirley momentarily dazed and confused from Lelouch kiss only agreed and left the room, Rivals and Nina and Millie all followed Shirley to get the juice details of the kiss, after they said goodbye to Lelouch and how great it was he was conscious again.

**(Outside the Government Building)**

Shirley continued to walk a few feet after she exited the government facility, but then she got out of her daze and just then realized what Lelouch had said to her:

"…..that's what I do when pretty girls just go berserk…." , which meant he kissed other girls, which meant he was a playboy.

"Lulu, ARE THE WORST!" Shirley gave out a roar of anger which shook the heavens

**(Tokyo Governors Palace, research facility)**

"What was that! It sounded like a mad lioness roaring after she made a kill !" Lloyd said startled at what he just heard.

"More like a lioness in heat who doesn't like it when the lion goes to play!" Suzaku said and eyeballed Lelouch.

"The lioness can kill the lion after he returns from the fight for territory." Lelouch responded understanding Suzaku's hint.

"Now Lloyd, this is what I want you to build for me!" Lelouch said and handed him a list and schematics which he drew last night.

"This will take time to built…"

"I want it done in three weeks!" Lelouch replied and went to Lloyd computer to tap something.

"Three weeks! But sir, in order to do that I would need a great sum of money!" Lloyd replied, then saw that Lelouch had finished using his computer and gestured for Lloyd to come over to see it.

He looked at another one of Lelouch bank accounts and his eyes almost jumped out of their orbits at what he just saw.

"Yes sir! With a budget like that I can also gift wrap it for you!...also here is a list of what I built using the remaining money from the other bank account and our own budget!" Lloyd replied and handed him a paper list.

Lelouch thank him and went off to prepare to destroy Sawasaki.

**(Slayers military base)**

"Currently thanks to our skilful handing off public relations we are sees as peace keepers and fighters against injustice, the majority of the population now holds us in high regard, but the same can be said for Zero, even though he is now in a coma" Ohgi presented his report.

"What about Kyushu?" Kaguya asked.

"Kyushu is now nothing more than one giant prison, I am ashamed to say this but the people actually were better off under Brittannia than under Sawasaki." Kallen replied.

"Why doesn't Brittannia just go there and kick their asses?" Tamaki asked.

"The Empire currently is using all of its resources against the naval war with the E.U and with the sponsorship of the Chinese they are now the underdogs and cannot afford a failed invasion which would leave Honshu vulnerable to and E.U invasion." Todoh replied.

"How long until we commence the evacuation?" Kaguya asked.

"A week's and we are good to go, but is it really necessary to leave now with Brittannia in a corner?" Ohgi asked.

"Like you said they cannot afford to lose troops, but because Japan is so valuable to the empire they will gamble anything to keep control over it, also just because they are preoccupied with something else doesn't mean they'll just let us alone forever" Kaguya replied.

**(Ashford Academy, Lelouch living room)**

Lelouch was by now looking over what Nunnally and Euphie had done over the past year and was quite impressed to say the least, with him in the room was the before mention girls and Suzaku.

"Eh…does it hurt?" Euphie ask hesitantly.

"Does what hurt?" Lelouch asked.

"The scar across your left eye." Nunnally responded.

Lelouch now had a vertical and slightly oblique scar across his left eye from the shattered glass of his helmet, it looked like one made from an axe or dagger so truth be told Lelouch rather liked it since it gave him an image of authority and veterancy.

"No, it doesn't, it didn't even know I had it until I looked in the mirror actually" he responded.

"You're going to battle again aren't you." Nunnally asked frightened.

"Yes…yes I am, we have to liberate the people of Kyushu from Sawasaki, and it's time we left, come on Suzaku…" Lelouch replied, but was stopped by both Nunnally and Euphie who hugged him tightly.

"Please….please be careful brother, we almost lost you once…please…" Nunnally begged as tears streamed down her eyes, the same was true for Euphie.

Lelouch promised them he would and hesitantly he and Suzaku left.

**( three days later December 24****th**** Black knight's transport)**

Lelouch with Diethard, Omar, George, Viletta, Kewell and Jeremiah and Suzaku had boarded what was now a new model of flying battleship, it was basically a new model based of the Avalon, but it had orange paint instead of white, it also had a stealth generator allowing it to sneak into Kyushu undetected and it now was a few hundred meters away from the Federal Palace.

"Alright listen up everyone, this is how the situation is, Sawasaki's army is garrisoned in the City's since he isn't to popular, in order for our Forces to be able to land we would have to keep those troops trapped in the city for at least 10 hours and the only way to do that is by triggering a riot, mister Reed" Lelouch said.

"Yes sir, a year ago during the Battle of Fukuoka I set up a communication line called the Omega, it's existence is only know by myself and the Prince so the enemy doesn't no it's there, we will use this line to transmit a serious of video montages which will entice people to rebel." Diethard said and showed them the short 4 minute clip he made over the past three days, which was very persuasive.

"We are going in today because Television audience's is highest during the eve of the holidays especially when there are Christmas specials, while mister Reed is transmitting the images, myself along with you ladies and gentleman will attack the Federal Palace, the reason we are doing this is that if we manage to capture Sawasaki the Chinese will be forced to retreat and a war in Kyushu can be averted., any questions?" Lelouch continued.

"So it will basically be the seven of us against the whole army stationed in Fukuoka! "Suzaku replied at which Lelouch nodded.

"Certain death….small change of success…what are we waiting for!" George said and the other laughed whole heartily at his humor, by now the idea of fighting when the odds were against them was to be expected when serving under Lelouch, and if the odds were even or in their favor the general consensus among Lelouch lieutenants was that it would 'boring' under such circumstance.

**(Federal Palace, ball room)**

Sawasaki was celebrating the first Christmas of the new 'free' Japan as he liked to call it, with him were members of his government and the Chinese commanders, Kusakabe was not present since he was arrested after the First invasion by the Chinese, however his guards inexplicably got mad with bloodlust and killed each other allowing Kusakabe to escape, where he was now was anybody's guess.

Sawasaki was disappointed that Japan had not risen up when news of the Iron Prince 'death' was heard or even when he successfully managed to take Kyushu, but he himself knew that in would be a matter of time until he would 'liberate' the whole of Japan, and until then he would eliminate form Kyushu 'the traitors from within'.

He remembered that after Zero had fallen and he took Kyushu he proclaimed on Global TV that he regretted that the Iron Prince was dead cause it deprived him the change to cut off his head himself.

A giant TV screen was broadcasting Christmas carols and Sawasaki though that nothing could go wrong, until the screen went blank and Diethard transmission began , it was a montage of clips set to the background music of 'Cass Dillon: Christmas In Fallujah.'

**It's Evening In the Desert**

A image of a ruble buildings with Gun Ru's walking over what's left of the building appeared.

**I'm Tired and I'm cold**

People who were standing in line for groceries were shown which was by now common in Sawasaki's Japan.

**But I am just a solider**

The screen was split in two, one image shoved Chinese Soldiers feasting over a bountiful meal, while Japanese civilians were eating only bread and water

**I do what I am told  
We Came with the Crusaders**

A montage of Chinese attacking and bombarding the city was shown.

**to save the holy land**

Women and small children who were crying appeared on the screen

**It's Christmas In Fallujah  
and no one gives a damn  
**

A clip of Sawasaki laughing was shown.

**And I just got your letter  
And this is what I read, you said  
I'm fading from your memory  
so I'm just as good as dead**

Montage of people being arrested and condemned for being traitors to Japan appeared.

**We are the armies of the empire**

A bruised and beaten Brittannian soldier was tied to a post and was mercilessly wiped by a Chinese soldier

**We are the legionnaires of Rome**

"Black knights who were both Brittannian's and honorary Britannia's were shown being marched with ragged close in a heavy rain.

**It's Christmas In Fallujah  
and we ain't never coming home**

Soldiers and civilians both Japanese and Brittannian's were shown behind barbed wire, with clear signs of great physical abuse.

**We came to bring these people freedom**

A clip of Sawasaki's army accidentally killing civilians who were unfortunate enough to get caught in the crossfire

**we came to fight the infidel**

The logo of the Phoenix fund was showed with across sign of rejection on it

**there is no justice in the desert  
Because there is no God in Hell**

Images of Chinese soldiers pissing on poster of Lelouch, Suzaku, Euphemia and Nunnally were shown.

**They say Osama's in the mountains**

Peaceful farmers and herders were arrested while tending to their crops and livestock**  
**

**deep in a cave near Pakistan  
But there's a sea of blood in Baghdad  
**

The mass graves of the labor camps were shown and Chinese soldiers burring new bodies.

**A sea of oil in the sand  
Between the Tigris and Euphrates  
another day comes to an end**

Chinese night time patrols forcing curfew were shown.

**it's Christmas In Fallujah  
Peace on earth goodwill to men**

One of Sawasaki's propaganda posters was shown in which it said ' a new and free Japan'.

**it's Christmas In Fallujah  
hallelujah hallelujah**

Then at the same time with the poster a subtitle was showed which said the following.

**(hoorah)  
it's Christmas In Fallujah  
hallelujah hallelujah**

Estimated cost of Sawasaki's reign: 100.000 dead, 5.000.000 imprisoned in labor camps.

**(hoorah)  
it's Christmas In Fallujah  
hallelujah hallelujah**

A image of Lelouch and his lieutenants was the show, then another round of subtitles.

**(hoorah)  
it's Christmas In Fallujah  
hallelujah hallelujah  
**

"Protect and respect the civilian"

Lelouch vi Brittannia

**(hoorah)  
Merry Christmas from Fallujah  
hallelujah hallelujah  
(hoorah)  
Merry Christmas from Fallujah  
hallelujah hallelujah  
(hoorah)**

The Iron Prince worked and fought hard for you rights and freedom …will you let his work go to waste? A final subtitle said

**hallelujah hallelujah  
(hoorah) x's 4**

And the montage continued playing over and over again.

"What the hell is this!" Sawasaki shouted with fury.

"It is heavens divine punishment!" a loud voice was suddenly heard from somewhere outside, then the Colgrevance Shinkiro and another the Lancelot crashed in through the roof capturing Sawasaki, his government and most of the high ranking Chinese Generals.

"Who do you think you are you bastard, do you have any idea who you are messing with!" Sawasaki angrily said to Lelouch knightmare.

"I am the one who gave them the means to rebuilt their homes, gave them back their livelihood and am working against the number system; all you have done was bring meaningless destruction and death to these lands." Lelouch replied and the blood from Sawasaki's face suddenly vanished.

"That sentence…it's the same one I heard in this city a year ago!" Sawasaki said now greatly frightened at his potential captor.

Lelouch then raised his cockpit's door to reveal himself dressed in his Zero costume with his helmet on his head, he then clasped his helmet with his hand and removed it.

"No….it can't be….your dead….you died at sea…YOU'RE DEAD!" Sawasaki shouted desperately at him.

Lelouch then bend over his knightmare until he was very close to Sawasaki , he then touched Sawasaki's cheek with his palm and with w sweet voice said to the man who had just seen a ghost return from hell the following:

"Sawasaki-san you should know by now…dragons don't die so easily!" Lelouch replied with an evil grin which terrified those present.

"_That's right ,this is what I was destined to do, what I was born to do, I feared death, but no more, for now I realized that death and fear are my mistresses and I have missed their sweet caress for far too long!"_ Lelouch said to himself.

Just then outside the building, George and Omar were parachuting themselves and the 501st knightmare division along with the 761st knightmare battalion to destroy the palace garrison, and then Jeremiah, Viletta and Kewell all jumped into the room from Lelouch and Suzaku's whole and said, the three Lancelots along with Suzaku then kneeled before him and said.

"Forgive us for our tardiness Lord Zero, please give us orders!" at which Lelouch replied:

"Very well then, for I am Zero. 'The Niddhog' the man who decides the victor and the vanquished!"


	29. Turn III: Second Coming

Turn III: Second Coming.

**(Federal Palace)**

The Chinese had sent the massive garrison stationed in Fukuoka to the Palace once they heard of the attack, inside it one Gun Ru was shouting part of the civilian staff which were unfortunate enough to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, he continued its pursuit until Suzaku came crashing through the wall and impaling the Gun Ru with his sword.

"You don't like it when you attack somebody and they fight back…don't you?" Suzaku said and he slashed his word destroying the Gun Ru

"Well Done Suzaku. Head to the 21st floor now" Lelouch ordered viewing the palaces tactical radar screen.

"Seal of the stairway Bradley" Lelouch ordered and a squad Of Gun Ru's was destroyed by the rubble

"Kewell, aim to your left 30 degrees" He ordered and Kewell ambushed and destroyed four enemy frames.

"Jeremiah, advance 50 meters and fire at the ceiling" Lelouch ordered and what was left of the first wave of enemy frames was destroyed.

**(Chinese Fukuoka garrison Command pyramid)**

" Lost contact with Colonel Tzu" one communications officer reported.

"Change the IFF codes!"

"That's the fifth time already!"

"Team four, annihilated!"

"Impossible. Who is commanding these terrorists?" one of the commanders said.

**(Federal Palace)**

"To think that Lelouch a week ago was in a coma and now we are storming the enemy's main command stronghold with only four battalions, most people would say I am crazy if they heard that…..but…the only difference between madness and genius is success and with Lelouch we have genius!" George said as he charged and slashed two enemy frames.

"Infantry! These are Sutherlands that the Chinese captured when they took Kyushu, Zero captured and now we will use them. Hurry and mount them. With Zero we will win! There will be a miracle!" Viletta said to her men.

"This is just the vanguard; if they use basic textbook tactics then they should now start to encircle the Palace…" Lelouch said with a smile and chuckle as he saw his men decimate the enemy, he also saw that Diethard transmission was working and riots had broken in every city in Kyushu, he would have liked to go to a window and open it to hear the riot which he was sure had started in Fukuoka, but he knew he had other responsibilities at the moment.

"Things appear to be going smoothly" a voice said behind him and C.C appeared, which startled Lelouch for a second, but only for a second.

"You don't seem too surprised to see me here boy!" C.C said with a smile.

"No, not really and if you are here you might as well make yourself useful, lieutenant Hagan!" Lelouch said and the officer entered.

"Sir" Hagan said and saluted his commander.

"I understand that Captain Perkins was killed just now, so this woman is your new Squat Captain, give her a Sutherland and C.C take the C4 that Hagan's team has and place it at the following locations" Lelouch said and gave her a map.

"Be careful this time, if you think yourself immortal you'll die when you least expect it" C.C said to him after Hagan left the room.

"Coming from an immortal which those words aren't so convincing." Lelouch jokingly replied at which C.C return the joke with a sincere smile and then left to do her part.

After a few minute of relative silence, a beep came on Lelouch communicator.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Sir, the enemy have now surrounded the Palace, from our reports I'd say at least eight knightmare and armored battalions!" one of the look outs replied.

"Guess it's time for checkmate then!" Lelouch replied with a smile since he knew that the bait have was reel him in.

**(Fukuoka command Pyramid)**

"The 4th Special Armored Division will now begin its descent! Show these pathetic terrorists the glory of the Chinese Federation." The commander said to his men.

"Shaw us she!" they all shouted in battle cry and began their assault, like a wave hitting a beach they flooded the Palace occupying the edges of the construction, but Lelouch forces were all inside and not on the edges so he had no casualties.

"The first wave has secured the ground floor; the second has parachuted on the roof and secured the top floor. According to our report these aren't just terrorists, but it seems that the enemy is composed out off Black knights from the original 42nd corps. They have no way out and if there are survivors then the third and fourth wave which has set up a perimeter around the Palace will catch them!" one officer said.

"So not only will we free our generals and Sawasaki, we will also avenge the shame which we suffered in this city weeks ago!" the commander said with a smile.

**(Federal Palace)**

"The enemy now believes that victory is his. All conditions are being cleared one at a time. All that's left is your part now, how much more time until you are done?" Lelouch asked C.C as he boarded the Colgrevance Shinkiro

"I'll be ready within ten minutes." C.C replied.

"Okay. Then we will be able to hold our positions." Lelouch replied.

Lelouch was smiling form satisfaction that his plan was going well when a transmission from one of the patrols was heard.

"This is company B2 , one enemy knightmare is….." his voice was cut off and only static remained.

"What's happening?" Lelouch asked concerned.

"No way, just now it was…." Another member of the company was lost.

"Is the enemy fighting without IFF?" Lelouch asked himself as she saw knightmare signal after knightmare signal show lost on his radar.

"Lelouch you should at least get out of here!" George said as he and Bradley along with Suzaku and Viletta and Jeremiah formed a defensive ring around him.

"It's a soldiers purpose to die for his lord after all!" Jeremiah replied with a serious tone in his voice.

"You're wrong! You are very wrong Jeremiah! A soldier's purpose is to follow his general and not die for him, I will lead you all to victory or share with you a tombstone" Lelouch replied which caught them off guard, since they did not want him to die.

"Commander Zero, this is squad 32 E, we have a visual on the enemy. Sir this is incredible, the enemy has some kind of golden Lancelot in their ranks….what it disappeared!...how'd it get here? Agh…." The squad leader said as he and his squad was destroyed.

"Disappeared? What does he mean by that?" Suzaku asked since the transmission was heard by all six Lancelots.

"The enemy has a new type of weapon which must give him some stealth capabilities, all units form a circle!" Lelouch said and all six frames complied.

"So we are going to be facing off against some kind of haunted demon frame huh? Sounds like a ball!" George said intending it as a joke, but there was a serious undertone of fear and dread in his voice.

"George." Lelouch said to him.

"Yes sir?" he replied.

"Shut up and focus!" Lelouch said.

"With pleasure sir." George said and he was grateful to have an order, it was the reason he joined the army, everything was orderly and organized unlike the chaos of civilian life.

Back with the remaining survivors of the reconnaissance squad, both fired their guns at the Vincent, he used its speed to dodge their fired, ran up on one of the walls, and destroyed one of the knightmares with a hip mounted slash harken, the remaining other frame fired at him, but the Vincent then charged him and destroyed him with its elbow energy pulse dispenser.

"C.C are you not done with your floor yet?" Lelouch said now panicked at the sheer monstrosity was coming their way.

"What are you getting so nervous for? You have five Lancelots with you" C.C calmly replied.

"_If the enemy truly has some kind of stealth device, then we are dead….but if we keep a cool head then maybe…just maybe we have a change to survive"_ Lelouch said to himself, just then the Vincent came crashing through the wall.

"So this guy's the irregular?" Bradley said startled at this situation.

"_Screw this! You are facing against my intelligence and Suzaku's and my lieutenant battle prowess, you actually thing you can win under these circumstances?"_ Lelouch thought to himself.

"Come on you poltergeist!" George said and he and Bradley charged it.

The Vincent the unsheathed it's twin blades and formed an x across its chest.

"To slow!" Bradley said and both he and George slashed it with their swords, only for the Vincent to disappear and reaper 30 meters away from them.

George's right arm was now cut off along with Bradley's'

"It teleported!...It bloody teleported!" Bradley said eyes wide in astonishment.

"It's as fast as lightning!" George said as astonished as Bradley.

"Impossible! It's not something physical that is causing that!...the enemy couldn't possibly!….." Lelouch said to himself as he realized that Geass was the power which they faced once more.

"All units activated chaff smoke!" he ordered and they all complied.

"Retreat to the rendezvous point, we cannot prevail here!" Lelouch said and they all complied seeing that they were outmatched.

Just then the Vincent appeared before them once more and it attacked Suzaku's frame, Suzaku with his battle skill blocked a strike form his right blade of the staff and stroke the left blade before the Vincent could attack a second time forcing it to retreat, the Vincent spun around and Suzaku's right leg, he blocked it with his sword and Suzaku pushed The Vincent's left sword tip over his head, the Vincent then tried to slash his head with its right sword tip, he then tried to slash at him with it's left tip, but Suzaku dodged it and blocked a blow from above with his sword.

The Vincent then spun around, and launched a barrage of attacks, he slashed at his head, Suzaku dodged, he slashed his left arm, right leg, right chest plate and left forearm, but Suzaku managed to block all of the, Suzaku then gave a vertical slash from above which cut the lance in two, he immediately went for a neck thrust, but the Vincent disappeared and reappeared from behind him ready to destroy him it was about to slash him when Kewell pushed him out of the way and was now pinned down by the Vincent's blade,

"Lord Kewell!" Suzaku said.

"Suzaku-kun, this is a thank you for what you did for me in Siberia" Kewell said thinking his end was now near, as he saw his energy filled becoming empty from exhaustion from fighting the Gun Ru's he prepared for death.

"Kewell eject now!" Lelouch ordered him suddenly and Kewell's military training kicked in and he complied, Lelouch then fired the chest energy cannon he had on Kewell's frame just a moment after he managed to eject , Kewell was saved , but as the smoke from the impact cleared they realized the Vincent was damaged but was very much intact.

"What the hell is that monster?" Jeremiah exclaimed.

Just then a radio transmission from C.C was received in which she said she finished her job.

"Took you long enough, and now.." Lelouch said as he looked at the Vincent. " Try to get out of this, you God damn road runner!" Lelouch said and he pressed the remote control which detonated the explosives which C.C had set up.

The smoke and shock wave from the blast gave Lelouch and those with him time to reach the rendezvous point.

The Chinese Fukuoka troops which were stationed entirely outside and within the Palace were either destroyed by the blast of the collapsing building, Lelouch and his forces survived because it was because they designed the explosion so a portion of the Palace remains unaffected.

**(Slayers military base)**

"Man things sure have gone crazy in Fukuoka!" Tamaki said as they watched things from their Fukuoka spies which broadcasted them everything.

"Not only that but we are getting reports that the other cities of Fukuoka are rising up against Sawasaki from that video which was shown on TV!" Ohgi added.

"This sure is one hell of a Christmas!" Kallen said and it was one of those occasions in which a proverbial expression could be taken literally.

Just then they saw from what remained of the Palace the 501stdivision and the 761st knightmare battalion emerge from the building.

"Hey those are Black Knights!" Inoue said.

"But who would have the necessary skill to obtain their loyalty?" Senba asked curious.

"Perhaps he already has their loyalty." Kaguya stated.

"Kaguya-sama you don't mean?..." Chiba said but was cut short when they saw five Lancelots and the Colgrevance Shinkiro emerge from the Black knights.

Before them people had gathered since they hesitated to riot when they saw soldiers on the streets and

**(Outside the now rubble palace**)

The five aforementioned Lancelots open their tops to reveal their occupants.

"Hey that is Lord Jeremiah!"

"That's Kururugi Suzaku, the silver knight in that one"

"Generals Kewell, Viletta, Patton and Bradley!"

"The Black Knights leaders!"

People from the gathered crowd said.

Just then the Shinkiro cockpit opened up and the Lelouch in with his Zero mask emerged, he then grabbed it with his hand, the crowd held their breaths in anticipation and he took of it's mask and theu all saw Lelouch's face.

"I am Zero…people of Japan I HAVE RETURNED!" Lelouch shouted with his thunderous.

"It's Prince Lelouch he has returned."

"Long live the Iron Prince !"

Sentences like that interposed with cheers sounded off when people saw that.

Lelouch raised his hand in a gesture for them to make quiet.

"I was wounded in battle and fell into a deep sleep, but the sounds of the horrors around me awaken me from death's sleep, hearing the people suffer under the madness of Sawasaki I awoke and came here to punish this perversity…to all Chinese forces who are still in Kyushu, know this you have pillaged, violated and feed upon this land for two long and now the time has come for hell's fury to engulf you in the form of the Black knights, I will accept nothing but unconditional and immediate surrender and I expect it within the next 15 minutes, ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT WILL KNOW ONLY THE LEAD BULLETS OF OUR CANNONS AND THE STEEL TIPS OF OUR SWORDS, THEY WILL LEAVE THIS COUNTRY IN BODIE BAGS!" Lelouch said and a round of cheers from the crowd.

Just then Sawasaki was visibly escorted by a company of soldiers to full view of the crowd.

"It's that monster!" a woman in the crowd said.

"Kill him your highness!" another one said.

"Death to Sawasaki the butcher!" a man shouted from the crowd and so on and so on.

Once again Lelouch raised his hand and the crowd fell silent.

"I know how you feel, seeing what this monster had done to this beautiful land I do not condemn, you. however….this animal, this …..devil with the form of a man killed countless people like that, and I am a man of justice and the law, I say bring him before a tribunal so the whole world can know of his crimes JUSTICE not REVENGE!" Lelouch shouted.

"That's right let justice be done!"

"Let the whole world make him pay for his sins"

The crowd shouted back.

"Sawasaki's reign of terror has ended….." Lelouch said, he then took out a party whistle and moved it to his lips and said "Merry Christmas!" and 'Phewww' blew the whistle much to the crowds cheers and screams of joy.

**(Pendragon City Schneizell's office)**

"So you've returned at last little brother!" Schneizell happily said to himself as he viewed the footage.

Just then his aide Cannon came into the room.

"Your highness the maharaja of India wants to speak with you on line four." Cannon said

"Good Day to you Lord Manmohan Singh!" Schneizell said as he picked up the phone.

"Namaskaar Schneizell sahib, is it true that your brother Zero has returned from the dead?" Manmohan said to him.

"Yes that's true, what of it?" Schneizell asked curiously.

"We have a proposition for you then!" Manmohan said and Schneizell listened.

**(1 hour later Fukuoka city)**

The city had turned into a gigantic party hall, there were songs, fireworks food drink, dance, and there was great cause for celebration, the Chinese forces stationed in Kyushu developed a great fear of Lelouch after The Battle of Fukuoka and after he done today they're commanders could not be blamed for surrendering only minutes after the broadcast.

Riots had broken out all over Kyushu, both Japanese and what Brittannian's who managed to avoid the concentration camps rioted from Diethard's transmission.

On top off that Lelouch reappeared when the Chinese leaders insisted he died at sea, he captured their main commanders and Sawasaki, destroyed the Fukuoka garrison, demolished the Palace which was a symbol of the Federations power and proclaimed that he would accept only unconditional and immediate surrender within the next 10 minutes and whoever didn't surrender would be shown no mercy, the sheer magnitude of destruction he caused to the Chinese forces send a psychic shock wave which scared them senselessly and fear made them surrender and disarm, Odysseus and the rest of the Black Knights would arrive soon, but the only thing they had to do now was to gather the Chinese forces and not fight them.

He even heard reports that the concentration camp officers released the prisoners and ran towards the seas for evacuation and hopefully escape from justice.

So despite the fact that he was a strict disciplinarian with his men , he now allowed them to celebrate and indulge, he himself was enjoying a drink of Sake and around him his soldiers and the civilians were celebrating their great victory, he was worried of assassination, because he was sitting in the open, surrounded by people only a fool would try something like that in such circumstances.

He also happily watched as the residence of Fukuoka both Brittannian's and Japanese celebrated together the Fall of the monster Sawasaki and since it was on December 24th it made it even more reason to celebrate, to those in Kyushu Lelouch had given them the best Christmas present ever.

"What the hell was hat thing in the palace?" George said to Bradley.

"Well we developed some pretty powerful weapons so it's safe to assume that our enemies also developed some powerful one's, it's OK to be afraid George after what we been through." Bradley replied to his friend and commander.

"Afraid…yes I am afraid, but I am not afraid of death, oh no, you expect that when you're a soldier, what I am afraid is failing to do my part and since I am a General my men would have to pay the price for my mistake, next time…..next time I will prevail….even if it costs me my life!" George replied determined to not let his comrades down.

"Jeremiah-san you should go and enjoy the ladies, or are you afraid that Sayoko will find out?" Suzaku said to him.

"What!...it's not like that… Sayoko and i…we are… we are….." Jeremiah struggled to explain their relationship but a mixture of personal confusion and embarrassment made it difficult so he changed the subject.

"I have to watch over the Prince, to make sure he is alright." Jeremiah said and he gestured to Lelouch who was talking on the phone a few feet away.

"Also Suzaku-kun you shouldn't be so careless with the ladies, Lady Euphemia will make you regret being unfaithful!" Jeremiah countered which cause Suzaku to spit out his drink.

"You…you knew about that?" Suzaku asked shocked.

"By now everyone who reads the tabloids suspects that it's kind of a public secret." Jeremiah teasingly said to Suzaku.

**(Slayers military base)**

After seeing that Zero had awoken and in only a few short hours defeated the Chinese forces in Kyushu, the executive committee knew that they would be next, so the evacuation to Horai Island which was scheduled for next month was rushed to begin a few days from now.

In the middle of this Kallen's cell phone vibrated.

"Hello?" she picked it up without anyone noticing.

"Hello Kallen, the time when our jobs get in the way has arrived" Lelouch replied over the phone.

"Lelouch…!" Kallen said astonished that he was calling.

"So that it's finally time then….if I face you on the field of battle I will not hesitate to kill you!" She replied with a determined voice, she had mentally prepared herself for over a year for this moment.

"Of course you should do that, you are after all fighting for your mother and your late brother's dream aren't you?" Lelouch said to her, Kallen told him at some point of Naoto.

"Y..Yes." she replied hesitantly.

"Then you shouldn't burden your conscious with guilt, strike at me with all your might and I will do the same to you." Lelouch said and it gave Kallen piece of mind.

"Oh and by the way I know you'd like one last hot toss between the sheets but I am afraid that it's not possible now…." Lelouch jokingly said.

"You…you son of a bitch I'll kill you, you shameless man!" Kallen angrily spat out with her face red from embarrassment.

Lelouch only laughed and closed the phone.

At this Kallen stealth fully went to her room and once she thought she was alone she started crying.

"I'm sorry to hear the two of you had to break up" Kaguya who had notice the conversation and followed her appeared in her room.

"Kaguya-sama…I know he's the enemy…and I know we would have to kill each other one day…..but it's still, it' still hard…why , why did I have to love a brittannian prince!" Kallen said crying and Kaguya gave her a comforting hug and her shoulder to cry on.

"You didn't do anything wrong by being his lover Kallen-san, you cannot choose who you love." Kaguya said to her and comforted her further, she did not accuse Kallen of betrayal since Kallen and Kaguya had become confidant's and she confessed in Kaguya here 'exploits' with Lelouch, Kaguya knew that Kallen said nothing of their operations and Lelouch didn't try to obtain nothing out of her, so she comforted her because of her brake up.

**(Fukuoka city)**

Lelouch had just finished her conversation with Kallen when Nunnally gave him a call.

"Hello Nunnally." Lelouch said cheerfully.

"Brother sister Euphemia and I are coming to Fukuoka to celebrate its liberation, as Governor and Vice-Governor it is our duty to do so!" Nunnally said but Lelouch could tell that she just wanted to spend Christmas morning with her brother.

"Alright Nunnally, you and Euphie have a safe trip!" Lelouch said and closed the phone.

He then walked over to his subordinates and said

" Everyone prepared to move out, we have one last final job to do!"

**(Fukuoka harbor, OSI rendezvous point)**

The Vincent returned to the point for repairsand Rollo exited the frame.

"I am sorry I could not complete my mission, should I try again latter?" Rollo asked his commander.

"Negative! We have been ordered to pull out, we will capture C.C at a another opportunity!" he replied and they left.

**(Slayers military base)**

As Kaguya was comforting Kallen and Ohgi and the rest were planning the evacuation a transmission came from the other houses of Kyoto and they all assembled to view it.

On the monitor half of the screen was broadcasting Kyoto and the other surprisingly the Chinese Eunuchs.

"God evening fellow allies, it seems things have gotten rather complicated in Kyushu!" Gao hai said to them.

"Yes, and for that reason we will be transferring our forces to Horai Island within the week, please excuse the inconvenience" Kaguya replied, she was good friends and like the Chinese Empress but she hated the high eunuchs.

"That maybe, but there is an opportunity in this change of events!" Kirihara said.

"What do you mean Kirihara-san?" Ohgi asked.

"Our spies within Tokyo have confirmed that Euphemia and Nunnally will be journeying tomorrow to Join Lelouch for Christmas day and celebrated his successful conquest of Kyushu" Tousai Munakata said.

"During this time The Slayers will ambush and capture them!" Hidenobu Kubouin said.

"Wait even if we are successful Lelouch does not have the power to give back Japan, and the Emperor wouldn't do such a thing, and if we fail it will give Lelouch the power to destroy our carefully built public image and annihilated the 'Slayers'" Kaguya replied concerned.

"We are fully aware of that Kaguya-dono, but once we capture the princesses we will make Lelouch surrender his heavy equipment to us in exchange for their release, that would give us an advantage in the future, and as for our public image we request permission from our Chinese allies to use their names in the attack!" Kirihara replied.

"Hoooo…..that is no problem, we already release press statements that the occupation of Kyushu was a independent action by our army and Navy, and since we like seeing Brittannia in chaos we will give you an ally and a Divine Tiger to aid you ho ho ho!" Gao Hai replied.

Kaguya did not like this move but was powerless to oppose it, she knew how much Lelouch loved Nunnally and Euphemia and after this he would strike the Slayers with all his Fury.

**(Skies above Kyushu, Black Knights escort)**

Lelouch explained to his men about Nunnally's coming and were on their way to act as escorts, it would be several hours before they would meet so Lelouch decided to take a nap.

"_Kallen I eagerly await our reunion, whether it is night of passion or a day of battle it does not matter, I always enjoy my time spent with you, so I welcome you My Lady Devil!" _Lelouch thought to himself as he fell asleep.

**Authors note**

**Read and review let me know if I should continue.**

**Next Chapter it's Round two For Lelouch and his lieutenants against Todoh and Ohgi!**


	30. Turn IV: Fire in the Sky

Turn IV: Fire in the Sky.

**(December 25****th**** early morning, Tokyo airfield)**

"You must not under estimate him, no matter how great the disadvantage to him, we are dealing with Todoh, he proved himself at Narita, during the train rescue and Shikinejima, and he will find some weakness." Guilford warned the Escort fleet commodore Nelson

"How pessimistic, and you are called the Vanguard Lancer of the Empire? Governor Euphemia and Vice-governor Nunnally are safe with me. You won't have any role" the commodore replied.

"But Todoh….."

"Lord Guilford, Todoh and the Slayers officially stopped being terrorists and that is the only reason they still live, if they attack the convoy then we will have an excuse to finally exterminate those pests, as you say he is a good general, would a good general actually make such a strategic blunder?" Nelson replied, which caught Guilford off guard.

"Sorry for being late!" Lloyd said cheerfully approaching them with Cecile, Nina was also with them.

"Packing all the equipment for the Lancelots took some time, eh?" Lloyd replied.

"It's has been a while Professor Lloyd." Guilford replied.

"Yeah, ever since becoming the Emp's direct subordinate-"

"How dare you address His Majesty in that manner!" Nelson cut Lloyd off.

"F-Forgive us. Earl Lloyd!" Cecile said.

"Hm? Was something wrong?" Lloyd said confused.

"The same as always! And about those machines you gave us." Guilford asked for himself and the Gladstone knights which were with him, their father Darlton though that Nunnally and Euphie would need all the help they could get.

"Oh those, well Prince Schneizell saw your performance and out u=you on the top of the waiting list!" Lloyd replied.

"_Good grief…To think that this kind of dissipate noble is Princess Cornelia's right hand, he should take lessons from Lord Kururugi, I've seen him in action and he never fears or overestimates the enemy"_ Nelson said in his mind.

**(Lelouch convoy several hours latter)**

"My lord we will rendezvous with the escort in 20 minutes." Jeremiah said waking his Liege up.

"Thank you for informing me general, oh and by the way I forgot to ask but where's the Siegfried?" Lelouch asked as he got up and made his way to the hangar.

"I was told that it was swept away by the sea currents. I truly am sorry for losing the great weapon you entrusted me with!" Jeremiah said apologetically.

"Don't be, I would rather lose a thousand Siegfried's than lose you." Lelouch replied and it restored his confidence.

**(Skies above the Pacific)**

"Zero is moving to escort the Governor and Vice governor?" Gyno said to Odysseus who was left in command of the Black Knights while Lelouch was gone.

"Yes Lord Gyno, the Field Marshall may suspect an ambush on the convoy" Odysseus replied.

"Well it that's the case then we best go and help them, let's go Anya!" Gyno said and both Knights of Rounds went full throttle towards the rendezvous point.

**(Nunnally and Euphie's escort ship)**

"Where are the two princesses?" Nelson asked.

"They're in the garden" one of the bridge officers replied.

Just then the alarm went off.

"Enemy spotted in front of us, we estimate at least 300 boogies!" the radar operator said.

"The Slayers!" Nelson said in shock.

"All units listen up our objective is to capture the two princesses; they are not to be harmed under any circumstances!" Kaguya ordered her men.

"Understood !" they replied in unison.

The carrier launched its array of defensive fighter but Todoh and the Shiseiken quickly destroyed them with their Akatsukis, they then landed the Burai's on top of the carrier in order to get the two Princesses.

"All remaining units launch, also fire all guns at the enemy!" Nelson said

"But the enemy are aiming for the convoys float system and we cannot fire it our shields raised!" on officer said.

"Damn it! Lord Guilford's fears were justified; the Slayers are risking everything in this attack!" Nelson said in frustration.

The Slayers continued to hammer at the other escort vessels until only the transport carrier and one escort remained, the rest fell from the sky.

"Put up you shields as much as you want, once we are inside them they are useless!" Asahina said.

"If you get too excited, you'll end up like the naked rabbit of Inaba!" Senba warned him.

"Yes, yes I'll be careful!" Asahina replied, when suddenly a hail of bullets' surprised him.

"Reinforcements?" Chiba said confused.

"No! These are their rearguard!" Todoh looked behind and saw six Vincent's, Guilford and the Gladstone knights had arrived.

"Time to finish this!" Guilford said to himself.

The Gladstone knights and Guilford made a strafing pass on the Slayers Burai's and took at least twenty down.

"You son of a bitch!" Tamaki said before his knightmare was disabled and he was forced to eject.

"This is strange; the enemy has aerial units, why don't they pursue us?" Guilford said to himself, just then a large energy beam came towards them, they managed to dodge it in time, but Bart's, Geoffrey's and Alex's knightmares were all hit forcing the pilots to eject.

"What the devil?" Claudio said and they saw the Shen Hu in all its glory from where the blast came from.

"Damn that Guilford, moving on his own!" Nelson angrily said.

"But we are saved now!" one of the officers replied.

"And all the credit goes to him!" Nelson snapped back angrily.

**(Lelouch's position)**

" The enemy has already commenced its attack?" Lelouch asked his radar operator.

"Yes sir! Guilford and the Gladstone knight seem to be holding up, but there's simply to many of them !" he replied.

"All unit sortie! We must assist our comrades!" Lelouch ordered and prayed in his mind for them to hold out until they could manage to get there.

**(Escort's position)**

Guilford and his men were now attacked from all sides, they formed a circle and tried desperately to hold out, juts then a harken came from the west and destroyed two Burai's on the carrier.

"All Right, it's punishment time!" Gyno said as he and Anya entered the battle.

"That's a weird looking Jet fighter, however…." Asahina said and he attacked Gyno.

Gyno immediately transformed from jet form to knightmare form and disabled Asahina's frame.

"I'm sorry! It's up to you guys now!" Asahina replied.

Just then the remaining escort ship started to go on a collision course with the carrier and immediately Anya fired a blast of her cannon destroying it.

"Commander Todoh this is Xingke I will take care of the knights of rounds, send the Guren and the Gawain to retrieve the targets" Xingke said and they complied.

"Commodore Nelson, what are you doing?" One officer asked.

"I must earn merit….if I don't I will be demoted" he said and fired a blast from one of the few remaining cannons at Todoh, which he dodged and the blast hit the engines making the ship loosing it's flying capabilities.

**(Slayers command submarine)**

Kaguya was viewing the battle on the tactical map, and she saw that it was going well, for a moment she thought they could actually catch the two princesses until…

"Enemy sighted, at least six of them moving fast and at low altitude." One of the bridge officers said.

**(Escort ship garden)**

The door to the garden had just been opened by Kallen.

"Princesses Nunnally and Euphemia, you are coming with us" Kallen proclaimed.

"Hello Kallen-san it's been awhile." Nunnally replied which caught Kallen off guard.

"Kallen-san let me ask you this before you take us, isn't there a way to change things without bloodshed?" Euphemia asked.

Kallen and Inoue and Minami who were piloting the Gawain were both shocked at the princess's attitude.

"Guren and Gawain look out; enemy reinforcements are on their way!" Todoh's voice warned them.

Before they could react Lelouch and Suzaku along with Bradley and Omar burst onto the Garden from beneath the ship.

Lelouch tackled the Gawain and Suzaku the Guren and like sumo wrestlers push them through the roof and onto the top of the ship.

"George, Bradley, we will take care of these two get Nunnally and Euphie out of here" Lelouch ordered and they complied.

Todoh seeing this immediately rushed to aid them but was stopped by a harken which cut off his left arm.

"Todoh' let's finish what we started at Narita!" Jeremiah said to him and charged him and his Remaining three Holy swords with Viletta and Kewell.

Suzaku made his way towards Kallen, he smashed one Burai with a punch from his left arm and cut in two a second one with his sword , a third Burai charged him, he activated his energy shield, blocked the charge, pushed the Burai back and then Impaled him with his sword, he then charged Kallen and his sword clashed with her dagger and Kallen radiation wave with his shield pulling them into another tug of war

Lelouch Blocked one Burai who tried to stab with his sword and then gave him a kick in the head which send it flying, he then turned around and swung his word slicing another enemy Burai.

He then saw the Gawain was next to him and with his voice full of anger shouted through the speakers the following words.

"YOU'VE CROSSED THE LINE, THE ONE LINE YOU SHOULDN'T CROSS, COMMITTED THE ONE SIN I CANNOT FORGIVE, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, WHAT YOU SAY I WILL NOT FROGIVE YOU FOR THIS, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY AREN'T HURT, THE FACT THAT YOU TRIED TO HARM THEN IS REASON ENOUGH, I WILL HUNT YOU ALL DONW AND RIP OUT YOU GUTS WITH MY BARE HANDs!" this statement made every slayer tremble in fear.

Lelouch them launched a harken at the Gawain, but it caught it with his left arm and crushed it, the Gawain then drew a sword from its back like the one Todoh had and lashed at the Shinkiro, Lelouch blocked the first blow with his shield, the second he dodged by moving to the left, the third by ducking his head, the fourth blow was an upped slash which he blocked with his shield, the fifth blow he blocked one more with his shield and he squatted down, rolled his body to the right and with a roll of his body slashed the Gawain's right leg with his sword.

The Gawain fell back a meter tried to slash him again, but Lelouch rolled his body forward and impaled the Gawain sword arm in the center distance between his elbow and his shoulder, he then twisted the blade 45 degrees while it was still inside the Gawain blocking it, he then pulled himself forward using the sword towards the Gawain and gave him an double chest kick, which made the giant frame, fall down on its but, it was now heavily damaged and a visible crater was in its chest.

Lelouch then pulled the sword from the Gawain's arm.

"You reap *panting* what you sow!* panting" He then made a 360 degrees twist of his body and with a whirlwind slash of the sword decapitated the Gawain, forcing Inoue and Minami to eject, the Gawain now headless fell to the depts of the Pacific.

Lelouch then looked to his left, saw enemy Burai's and charged them the first he crashed into him with his shield so hard he shattered him to pieces, the second he cut in half with his sword, the third managed to impale him in the right arm with his spear disabling it, Lelouch then let go of the shield and with his remaining left arm grabbed the spear, pulled the knightmare closer and gave him a head but which shattered the Burai's head making the pilot eject.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Lelouch shouted and he charged what was left of the enemy.

Kallen despite being occupied with Suzaku, noticed this and upon seeing this was shocked, Lelouch was out for blood plain and simple, they tried to lay a hand on his sister and he was going to make them pay a devil's debt for it, for one moment she truly thought a monster, a dragon or demon was before her.

The same was true for Kaguya who witnessed the sheer anger, and savagery with which Lelouch threw himself at their troops.

"All units' withdrawal, we cannot win here!" Kaguya ordered her soldiers.

The unites complied, but it wasn't a withdraw, just then fire came from their left flank, it was Lloyd and Cecile inside the Avalon blocking their retreat, Todoh and Xingke units were too exhausted.

Behind them Lelouch and the others were gaining fast.

"Hello Kallen-chan!" the face of Laksharta popped on the screen.

"Sorry for the late arrival, but I've finished the upgrades to your Guren!" Laksharta said and she immediately launched the missile with the upgrades, Kallen then charged them to buy the Slayers time to reach the submarine

"Gyno, you Any and Suzaku take care of the Guren, the rest of us will eliminate the remaining Slayers !" Lelouch ordered, he then picked up the Guren now with its upgrades charging them.

"Watch out!" Lelouch said and Kallen blasted her now long range radiation wave surge at them, Lelouch frame was power drained, but thanks to its Druid system shields it survived the attack, But Guilford, Viletta, Kewell and The Gladstone knights were caught in it and forced to eject before the frames exploded.

"Suzaku guard Lelouch, me and Anya will take care of the Guren!" Gyno said and he turned his frame into its fighter mode and charged at the Guren.

"Eat this!" Kallen said as she gave another energy blast and the Tristan gave a barrel role to avoid it and fire its harken, The Guren also rolled to avoid the harken, Gyno the fired his machine gun, but Kallen speedily dodged the bullets.

"Hey hey, a pilot at the level of a Rounds member?" Gyno said caught off guard by Kallen's skill.

"But..with this…." Anya said as she aimed her cannon and fired and Kallen.

"Don't underestimate my Guren!" Kallen said as she dodged the blast and gave powerful kick to the Mordred's face.

"She stepped on me…" Anya said and activated her body energy blasters, making Kallen retreat and block them with the radiation wave.

"Take this!" Kallen said and used her special dispersed radiation wave blast which made the Tristan and the Mordred freeze in their tracks.

"What is that knightmare?" Anya asked curious.

"No, it's the pilot. I should've gone all out." Gyno replied.

"Lelouch get back!" Suzaku said as Kallen now charged him.

"Make him eat my Gefjun net!" Laksharta said and t

Laksharta said and Kallen fired the net it engulfed Suzaku.

"A counter measure for that has already been developed" Suzaku said to her and fired hi VARIS at her.

"But it slowed you down!" Kallen replied and dodged the shot and rushed Suzaku, he tried to draw his sword but Kallen managed to hit him with her radiation wave before he could do it.

Kallen now smiled to herself knowing she finally would destroy the original Lancelot, just then something rammed her and rammed her so hard that both her and whoever slammed himself into her flew all the way to the Slayers submarine hitting it hard and making it rock in the waves.

Kallen then looked and saw that it was the Colgrevance Shinkiro who did that.

Lelouch knowing that Suzaku's frames was heavily damaged and needed help could not continue his attack, so he scratched the Guren's chest plate with his remaining arm and then grabbed it by the neck brought it up to his knightmares face and said:

"See you at your funeral Kallen!" and the raced to help Suzaku who was losing altitude.

Kallen was shocked by what she just saw and heard.

The same man, who so gently made love to her and kissed her and whispered in her ear, now was the same man who fought like a demon, and talked to her with his voice filled with anger, bloodlust and pure and powerful hatred.

"_The Niddhog, that wasn't Lelouch, it was the Niddhog, up until know….Oh God, what have we unleashed upon ourselves!"_ Kallen said to herself still in shock by what just happened.

"Kouzuki what are you doing hurry up and get inside!" Todoh ordered and Kallen snapped out of her daze and got in the submarine.

(**Avalon, meeting room)**

"An attack like this on the royal family cannot be overlooked; I say we go and smashed those Slayers to pieces!" Jeremiah said and everyone else in the room agreed.

"It's true that what they did was wrong, but killing them all is a far to harsher punishment! "Nunnally aid and this caught everyone off guard.

"What are you saying Princess! You and Princess Euphemia are the ones they tried to kidnap, and they'd try it again if they thought it would succeed!" Guilford replied.

"I stand by Nunnally in this matter, outright killing them is a too cruel of punishment!" Euphie replied which caught even Suzaku off guard, despite him loving Euphie's gentle and forgiving nature, he himself could not even dare to understand how they could overlook this attempt.

"I am afraid it's not that simple!" Diethard Reed intervened.

"What do you mean Mister Reed?"Viletta asked

"During the last year after the original SAZ ceremony the Slayers did not commit any terrorist activities in Brittannian Japan and in Kyushu the bombed small target buildings and ambushed insignificant convoys, but they were all highly publicized, so the people now consider them as Allies of justice and the majority of the population now support them, I am afraid that if we attack them we will lose the support of the people!" Reed replied.

"So what you are saying is that we can do nothing?" Suzaku angrily said and he greatly enraged slammed his fists into the table "No matter what crime they do, what sin they commit we can just idly stand by and let them roam free?" he angrily spat out.

Lelouch who was Leaning against a corner and playing with a king chest piece while eating a licorice stick suddenly said.

"Gentleman, ladies, I am sick and tired of hearing how Kaguya and her Slayers can go wherever they want, do whatever they want and say whatever they want without regards to the consequences, we will go and we will smash the Slayers into pieces!" Lelouch said to the approval of his subordinates.

"Brother you cannot mean you are going to kill them all!" Nunnally and Euphie said panicking and Lelouch sudden outburst of cruelty.

"No, like Mister Reed said we cannot kill them, so we will not do that, we will however capture them and shove them in a dungeon where they can't escape the law anymore!" Lelouch said and that calmed Nunnally and Euphie.

"But sir, how can we capture them if we don't even know where they are?" Kewell asked.

"Kaguya is a smart woman, she knows that after today I will hound her down like a hunting dog gets a fox, so she knows she has to evacuate the Slayers overseas, she won't use any major port since we would notice that, mister Reed you said that there where roomers of Kaguya being sighted in the Forbidden Fity?" Lelouch asked.

"Yes sir!" Reed replied.

"Then that's where she is headed, bring me a map of Japan!" Lelouch said and Bradley brought him one.

"She won't use the western coast since we have that area heavily guarded by ships, she will use the eastern one since from there she can reach the safety of international waters." Lelouch said and he looked at the map, what he searched for was the last possible place you'd expect a major evacuation to take place, Lelouch searched for a area with heavy traffic to conceal movements and where their navy was in the weakest present.

"Here! Shizuoka Prefecture, Suruga Bay, it's a major trade root and we wouldn't notice if they slipped away en masse, they probably started the evacuation so that mean we will have a fight on the open seas, there's no major fleet stationed there and we don't have time to bring one, so the Avalon and ships are stationed there is all we got, how long until we can arrive there?" Lelouch asked.

"It would take at least six hours to do so!" Lloyd replied.

"Even if they hurry they'd have to move the organization all at once in order to avoid detection, and we estimate there are between 100.000 and 200.000 members, so it will take them some time, we will wait just outside their detection range and when they start moving we will capture them and the whole rebels army all in one fell swoop" Lelouch replied.

"Even if we captured them alive, it will appear to the world that we are arresting people who agreed to disarm and we broke the truce!..." Reed replied.

"We will not be the one's breaking it since even if they claim that they did no attack us, the matter still remains that the Chinese used their equipment, meaning that they are guilty of selling weapons to the enemy's of the state!" Lelouch replied and at that no one could comment.

"I know how you two feel about Kallen, but we cannot simply allow her and the rest of them to do as they please without regards to the law or the consequences of their actions, we will try to capture them alive, but I must tell you that they may not want to be captured and will fight to the death and if that happens we will have no choice but to kill them, be it capture or execution we must uphold the law which the two of you as Governor and Vice –Governor are sworn to uphold, follow and obey!" Lelouch said and that put them in their place, he saw that and he left to play chest online, great anger was still in him and he had to get rid of it.

Nunnally for once was scared, but not of her brother, she had witnessed Lelouch change whenever someone tried to hurt her or Euphie and she could understand why he appeared so lack of compassion or mercy of a sudden towards the Kallen-san his lover at one point and the Slayers in general.

(**Slayers submarine)**

Kallen had rested in the cockpit for a few minutes from exhaustion from the battle, when she noticed that people gathered around the Guren and they looked at it with fear.

Ohgi, Tamaki, Todoh, Kaguya and everybody else all had the same expression horror on their faces

Curious and why they were doing so she jumped out and went to take a look and when finding out the reason of their fear she thought was gripped with terror, Lelouch had scratched a message on the Guren's chest.

_**Never forget**_

_**And never forgive**_

_**For your actions**_

_**None of you will live**_

Lelouch said to them that for trying to kidnap his sisters he would kill them all, without mercy, without shame and without pity.

And a sudden realization hit Todoh and Kaguya.

The Niddhog which brought Europe to its knees, slaughtered the army's of China, and eliminated all his opponents in Japan turning it into his own castle now bared it's fangs towards them, the die was cast and they lost and now there's going to be a devil to pay!

**(Avalon, Nunnally's room)**

A few hours later Nunnally went to sleep and prayed to God, usually she prayed for God to protect her brother on the field of battle, but tonight her prayer was different.

God almighty please save my brother and Suzaku-kun from the sea of anger which he had fallen since he is concerned for my safety, and please protect Kallen-san and the Slayers from my brother and Suzaku's fury" she said to God and then went to sleep.

**Authors note read and review, let me know if I should continued**


	31. Turn V: Motion in the Ocean

Turn V: Motion in the Ocean.

**(Slayers evacuation position)**

It had been five days since they faced Lelouch and they knew time was running out for them, the executive committee currently had no job to do except wait for the loading process to be finished so they just relaxed and watch MTV for a while.

Just then the MTV announced the Lady Gaga's new video for Alejandro was going to follow.

The video began and they all watched it.

The sounds of the violin began and the video showed the center square of a city, there you could see an old fat priest, a young nun which was played by Gaga and hundreds of people walking in the square.

Just then the earth shook, a big cross which was hung on the center lamp pots of the square became loose and slighted down making in a reverse cross.

A pentagram appeared on the place where the reverse cross was fathered and flames erupted, from those flames a throne emerged and a young man dressed as Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon appeared, but it was obvious that the character was a personification of the devil.

**I know that we are young.  
And I know you may love me.  
But I just can't be with you like this anymore.  
Alejandro.  
**

**She's got both hands  
in her pocket.**

The old priest saw this and came up to him; he presented a crucifix and tried to exercise the demon.

**And she won't look at you,  
Won't look at you  
**

The masked person looked at the cross for a moment and got up from his throne.

**She hides true love  
En su bolsillo.**

He then touched the cross and kissed it without a moments hesitation, shocking the priest, the masked man hand and lips burned, but quickly healed.

**She's got a halo 'round her finger.  
Around you.  
**

He then brought his face close to the priest's own exhaled from his mouth a block fog, the pries tried to run, but the fog engulfed him and a woman who was dressed in a conservative religious manner.

**You know that I love you boy.  
Hot like Mexico, rejoice.  
At this point I gotta choose,  
nothing to loose.  
**

The old fat pries changed into a young man with a Schwarzenegger-like body physique dressed in a biker's uniform, the woman changed from a glasses and haired tied in a knot persona to a long raven haired biker attire woman

**Don't call my name.  
Don't call my name, Alejandro.  
I'm not your babe.  
I'm not your babe, Fernando.  
**

Both of them had their eyes blackened and a strange black light was coming from their orbits and mouths, the man and the woman looked at each other and started kissing and rubbing each other obviously making foreplay before the main act.

**Don't wanna kiss, don't wanna touch.  
Just smoke one cigarette and hush.  
Don't call my name.  
Don't call my name, Roberto.  
**

The crowd watched in shock at the transformation, the young nun played by Gaga saw that the masked man eyed her and began to run.

The masked figure just slowly stepped towards her.

**Alejandro.  
Alejandro.  
Ale-ale-jandro.  
Ale-ale-jandro. [2x]  
**

Just then men with machine guns and tanks appeared in the square.

**(Just stop. Please. Just let me go. Alejandro. Just let me go.)  
**

Their leader came forward and gestured for him to go back to hell**  
**

**She's not broken,  
She's just a baby.  
But her boyfriend's like a dad, just like a dad.  
and all those flames that burned before him.  
Now he's gonna fight your fight, gonna cool the bad.  
**

The masked figure just smiled at this attempt and upon seeing this, the leader ordered his men to take aim, they fired and the bullets and tank shells toped in mid air a few feet away from the figure.

**You know that I love you boy.  
Hot like Mexico, rejoice.  
At this point I gotta choose,  
nothing to loose**

The figure then gave a wave of the right hand from the left to the right which send the bullets bag to the soldiers killing them and destroying the tanks.

Don't call my name.  
Don't call my name, Alejandro.  
I'm not your babe.  
I'm not your babe, Fernando.

The figure then continued his slow and calm pace towards the nun, his cloak now grew to enormous size and covered the remaining people of the square.

Don't wanna kiss, don't wanna touch.  
Just smoke my cigarette and hush.  
Don't call my name.  
Don't call my name, Roberto.

As he paced forward he dragged the cloak of them revealing that they suffered a similar transformation as the priest and the woman earlier.

**Alejandro.  
Alejandro.  
Ale-ale-jandro.  
Ale-ale-jandro. [2x]  
**

As an orgy started all around the square, the masked figure caught up with the nun who had run into a back alley and was trapped with her back to the wall.

**Don't bother me.**

Don't bother me. Alejandro  
Don't call my name.  
Don't call my name, Fernando.

The figure looked at her and she looked straight into his red eyes, he bowed his head towards her and she closed her eyes in fear, he gave her a kiss and she fell under his spell.

**I'm not your babe.  
I'm not your babe, Alejandro.  
**

He then broke the kiss and pulled away, the nun opened her eyes and she was now visibly flushed and horny from the almost orgasmic kiss.**  
**

**Don't wanna kiss, don't wanna touch. Fernando.  
Don't call my name.  
Don't call my name, Alejandro.  
I'm not your babe.  
I'm not your babe, Fernando.  
**

The figure smiled and caressed her face with his hand, he then hugged her and started kissing her neck, she no longer able to resist him surrendered and let him undress her.

**Don't wanna kiss, don't wanna touch.  
Just smoke my cigarette and hush.  
Don't call my name.  
Don't call my name, Roberto.  
**

A moments later they were bought naked, but he still had his mask on, he kissed her, grabbed her by the hips raised her until she wrapped her legs around his waist.

He then trusted into her and flames erupted in the background where the orgy was happening

**Alejandro.  
Alejandro.  
Ale-ale-jandro.  
Ale-ale-jandro. [2x]**

Don't call my name.  
Don't call my name, Alejandro.  
I'm not your babe.  
I'm not your babe, Fernando.

Don't wanna kiss, don't wanna touch.  
Just smoke my cigarette and hush.  
Don't call my name.  
Don't call my name, Roberto.

After climaxing the flames died down and the nun now laid in his embrace, he looked and her and at the debauchery he caused and smiled.

The camera then zoomed at his face and he grabbed his mask in order to remove it

Hetookof themask revealing his smiling face**  
**

**Alejandro.**

It was Lelouch's face.

"Woo! You know guys….call me a nutcase but… the idea of Prince Lelouch being the Devil…..actually makes me want say ' I told you so'" Tamaki replied and to a certain manner the sentiment was shared by those in the room.

**(Avalon)**

"That was some video! Gaga sure is bold to do something like that!" C.C said to Lelouch, both of them were in a private quarters.

"To be honest I am rather offended that she used my digital image without my consent" Lelouch replied and started to exit the room for the command deck.

"But if she did ask would you allow her to use you it in such a manner? As a dark lord of lust, corruption and destruction?" C.C asked teasingly.

"You've forgot to mention my oratorical skills!" Lelouch replied with a chuckle and went to the bridge.

"How's the enemy progress?" Lelouch asked.

"Well according to our scouts their just about to begin shipping of, we estimate that there are 150.000 soldiers and 850.000 civilians in those transport ships" Cecile replied.

"We will have to wait until they get to the open sea until then we can't manage to sort them out from the commercial ships, tell the fleet to pull back until we are 5 miles short of international waters" Lelouch replied.

"_We mustn't let them escape, it took us so long to rebuilt the country, and bring reform to its colonial policy and they are the one thing which always get in the way, they helped Xingke put Lelouch in a coma, because of them Sawasaki took Kyushu and turned it into hell, and now they tried to kidnap Euphie and Nunnally, they must be stopped at all costs!" _Suzaku angrily thought to himself

**(Slayers command ship eight hours latter)**

"Hum….. well from these specks you manage to buy off the black market it seems That Earl of Pudding and Croomy woman are going to build on hell of a monster!" Laksharta said to Kaguya as she looked at the designs for the Lancelot Albion.

"Could you make something to counter it?" Kaguya asked.

"Upgrading the Guren to this level will be a matter of time, it will take a while, but so will their model take a while" Laksharta replied and went to begin designing the Guren SEITEN.

Kaguya returned to the bridge and sat in the commander's chair.

"How long until we reach international waters?" Kaguya asked.

"We are about 7 miles away from entering them" Todoh replied.

"Then it's time to begin the transmission!" Kaguya said and a TV camera was brought to the bridge.

"People of Japan, I am Kaguya Sumeragi Leader of the Slayers, I say to you the following, Brittannia has started and operation of arresting the Slayers and because of that we have decided to go into an exodus for freedom we are forced to run overseas, but rest assured we will return and Liberate the country from these conquerors…."

"Big words and full of lies, I'd expect more of you Lady Kaguya!" Lelouch voice suddenly appeared on the transmission and cut her off.

The TV transmission which was now broadcast to the world had split the screen in two one showing Kaguya, the other showing Lelouch.

"You dare say we broke the truce and attacked you when it is you who never upheld it!" Lelouch said and started showing battle footage.

"Five days ago you and your Slayers attacked the transport convoy of Princess Euphemia and Nunnally, it is clear to all that the attacking frames are those used by your organization, the Gekka's and the Gawain which you stole from us! And a year ago during the battle 50 miles of the coast of Kyoto you're forces aided Xingke in battle on the very same day which you pledged to disarm!" Lelouch said and showed footage of both events.

Kaguya was momentarily caught o guard by this, but she quickly recovered and countered.

"There is no proof that those piloting the frames are members of the Slayers!" she retorted.

"Even if that is so you still are guilty of the crime of selling weapons to enemies of the state, if a man sells a know killer a gun knowing what it will be used for, then he is as guilty for a murder as the one who pulled the trigger!" Lelouch replied and this countered Kaguya and put her in a corner.

"You may bring these lies to the ears of the world, but I will say the truth, people of Japan listen to me, Brittannia is not to be trusted, they seem friendly and caring now, but once you let your guard down they will show it's true face and we will be put in bondage once more, I saw through your illusion Zero and that is why the 'Slayers' are now evacuating Japan, we will not be your slaves!" Kaguya retorted and this made Lelouch tighten his grip on the king chest piece in frustration, Kaguya was a formidable opponent, thinking in his head for a second on the answer, he found the death blow and launched it.

"Your accusations are nothing but proofless speculation, propaganda meant to vilify and paint a false image of me and my Black Knights, but the following fact are without a doubt true and with proof:

You sold weapons to the enemies of the state, it was those weapons which gave Xingke enough power to place me in a coma, and my wounding gave enough chaos for Sawasaki to take over Kyushu and turn it into one big dungeon, continuing this conversation is now pointless, no matter what I say you will still come up with a lie to give justification to your actions, which are nothing short of pure terrorism! And since you and 'The Slayers' are nothing but criminals I will bring you to justice!" Lelouch replied, put on his Zero mask and ended the transmission.

Kaguya did the same.

"Enemy sighted! 10 battle ships 3.7 miles in front of us!" Sugiyama who was operating the radar reported.

"How long until the reinforcements arrive?" Kaguya asked.

"They estimate that 10 minutes is what they'll need!" Yoshida replied.

"Then we will prevail today!" Kaguya replied and calmly returned to her captain's seat.

**(Schneizell's office, Pendragon)**

"So in three weeks it is time for the big show isn't it?" Schneizell asked the Maharaja of India.

"Yes, Schneizell Sahib, any longer than that we cannot postpone, everyone is at their limit of patience. Also three weeks is the only time the seas will be clean enough of E.U or Chinese warships to allow any major transport to occur. Also we would prefer in you'd choose your brother Lelouch for our request!" Manmohan Singh replied.

"I will talk to him and see what I can do, but rest assured that even if it's not Lelouch we will do as you requested" Schneizell replied.

"I thank you Schneizell Sahib." Manmohan Singh said and ended the transmission.

**(4 miles short of international waters, the Pacific)**

Lelouch, Suzaku, Anya and Gyno were in their knightmares which were the only ones that survived the battle days ago and with the fleet of tens ships and the Avalon were blocking the Slayers escape route.

"This is Field Marshall Lelouch vi Brittannia speaking, Slayers know that you are in a hopeless situation, the ships you are using for transport are unarmed, while we have ten war vessels with us, if you surrender now I will grant you the following terms:"

"You're leaders will not be executed, but they will be incarcerated for life for their crimes, the rest of you will not be prosecuted but will be allowed to return to Japan or go wherever you please without fear of arrest or detention, but you must accept those terms now, if I do not hear a reply within the next ten minutes I will assume that you have chosen to fight to the death, I will then order all of my ships to open fire on your fleet and sink everyone of your vessels, there will be no life boast deployed, no rescue operation, if you choose to fight me then you will fight o the death!" Lelouch announced to the enemy fleet with his knightmares speakers.

"We're trapped! Every knightmare we have is still in repair!" Kallen said now trembling in fear.

"Also if we choose to fight to the death, the women and children who chose to join us will all drown!" Tamaki added.

"What shall we do Kaguya-sama?" Ohgi asked her.

"Zero has given us ten minutes to surrender or be crushed, but in one minute he will be the one crushed!" Kaguya proclaimed and the others just stared at her in amazement.

Back in the Avalon Nunnally and Euphie were horrified at what was about to happen, they knew Lelouch was serious in this matter and what was worse Suzaku supported him 120%.

They prayed, hoped the Slayers would surrender so a blood bath would be averted!

"Stubborn as always.." Suzaku said to himself.

"But no matter what she does it's hopeless, she is in check *BOOM*" A cannon shell explode near Lelouch's position and he and Suzaku, Anya and Gyno looked to see where it came from.

"Wha…what it that thing!" Kewell said from the bridge of the Avalon.

"Iceberg Carrier…." Lloyd replied which drew all those present towards him.

"A few years ago the Chinese started a project to create a Peltier film and insulatory polymers to turn icebergs into massive unsinkable carriers and battleships." Lloyd replied to those present on the bridge and to the flying knightmares who had a radio link with them.

"To think that the Kaguya could somehow manage to obtain this much support from the Chinese empress…..she truly is a frightening opponent!" Lelouch said and from hunter they had become the hunted.

"Iceberg Carrier Sorajima, this is Kaguya Sumeragi, do you receive us?" she said through the radio.

"This is Iceberg Carrie Sorajima; we receive you Kaguya, pardon us for our tardiness, and please issue your orders!" Taizo Kirihara said from the ship.

After the failed operation, The Six Family leaders knew that Lelouch would come after them so they evacuated early with their personal security details and used those details to man the Iceberg and bring it as an escort.

"Kirihara-san you and the ship will engage the enemy fleet, keep them busy so we may reach the safety of international waters, after you dispose of them rendezvous with us at Horai Island!" Kaguya replied and they complied.

The carriers massive and numerous guns and missiles started firing at Lelouch and his small fleet.

"_Dam it all, if I order my fleet to destroy the transports we will be all killed, and if I concentrate on the Iceberg the Slayers evacuation fleet will escape!" _Lelouch mentally said to himself in frustration.

Deciding to let them go and live to fight another day he gave the orders for the fleet to concentrate on the Iceberg.

"Understood! All units this is General Jeremiah, ignore the transports and concentrate all fire power on the Iceberg!" Jeremiah ordered and a salvo of bullets was returned to the Iceberg.

A second, third, fourth and fifth salvo was also fired.

"Barrage accuracy report!" Kewell said to the crew.

"Artillery reporting in, only 25% of the salvo managed to hit the target and only half of those were close to any vital area!" the artillery officer reported on the bridge.

"Only 25%!" Suzaku said astounded as the sheer inefficiency which was uncharacteristic of the Black Knights.

"We should have returned to Kyushu and picket up Odysseus for this….without him….our artillery is nothing more than giant vuvuzelas." Lelouch said to himself now desperate for his chief of artillery.

Just then from the Iceberg the guns fired a simultaneous volley from all their cannons, and it mercilessly hit Lelouch and his subordinates.

"All units damage report!" Lelouch quickly said after he recovered from the impacts recoil.

"This is what the surface fleet looks like, 3 ships are hurt badly but are in danger of sinking, four have been hurt in the critical area and will eventually sink, but the crews have already begun to enter lifeboats and the remaining three literally exploded when they were hit!" Jeremiah replied, his radio was full with sounds of damage coming from the bridge and alarms sounding of the Avalon.

"This is the Avalon status! Our shield managed to hold out against that salvo, but it drained our power reserve, I don't think we will be able to survive another blast!" Lloyd replied.

"_One more salvo from that thing and we will all be dead!" _Lelouch thought to himself.

"All units listen up this is what we are going to do:

Jeremiah get the fleet away from here, there's nothing we can do about Kaguya so just get the hell out of dodge, Suzaku you Gyno, Anya and myself will cover the fleets retreat!" he ordered and they deployed.

Lelouch charged the Iceberg Carrier and with Suzaku, Gyno and Anya stopped a few hundred meters short of it and started their covering operation.

Kirihara seeing this immediately ordered all batteries to concentrate their fire on the four frames.

Anya and Lelouch used their shields to block the cannon shells while Suzaku and Gyno from behind Lelouch and Anya used their rifles against the missiles.

"Never a dull moment when were serving under you Lelouch!" Gyno jokingly said, but his voice was now filled with exhaustion from the constant need to hit incoming enemy missiles.

"_This is insane; we are literally being used as human punching bags! It's only a matter of time before we run out of power or ammunition and then we will be blown to bits"_ Lelouch said and he activated the Colgrevance's scanners in the hopes of finding some kind of advantage or weakness in the massive Leviathan that was pummeling them.

**(Avalon)**

Nunnally and Euphie upon seeing that the Slayers fleet had managed to escape and Lelouch wasn't forced to start a massacre let out a breath of relief, only for that breath to turn into a gasps of horror upon seeing the four airborne knightmares fly to the iceberg to shield their retreat.

"Lelouch, Suzaku…..don't die!" Euphie said as tears streamed down her eyes.

Nunnally was in the same mental state as Euphie and she had started to cry as well.

"_Come on Lelouch! You call yourself the Niddhog, can you really cal yourself a dragon if you cannot win against the mere creation of a few mortals!"_ C.C said to herself as she frantically watched the merciless pummeling behind their current position.

"Jeremiah can you hear me?" Lelouch asked the Avalon

"Yes my lord! What are you orders?" Jeremiah desperately asked.

"Do we have any torpedoes left?" he asked.

"Yes sir and plenty of them!" Jeremiah replied.

"Arm them and fire them at the following coordinates immediately." Lelouch said and transmitted the coordinates.

**(Slayers command center)**

"Zero is covering the retreat of their fleet?" Kaguya asked, their fleet was now in international waters far away from danger.

"Yes ma'am! It appears so!" Minami replied.

"Give us a visual" Todoh ordered and Minami complied.

What they saw shocked them.

"They….they're taking all of the Carriers punishment to allow their ships to escape!" Ohgi said astounded at their bravery.

"Magnificent valor!" Todoh said and despite the fact that they were enemies the Slayers where all moved by what they saw, chivalry in its purest form!

(**Lelouch's position)**

"Jeremiah can you hear me?" Lelouch asked the Avalon

"Yes my lord! What are you orders?" Jeremiah desperately asked.

"Do we have any torpedoes left?" he asked.

"Yes sir and plenty of them!" Jeremiah replied.

"Arm them and fire them at the following coordinates immediately." Lelouch said and transmitted the coordinates.

"Gyno, Suzaku listen up when I give the orders I want the two of you to run like fury towards their main propellers and hit them hard, do you understand?" he asked

"Yes sir!"

"Yes sir!" the both of them replied.

Just then the torpedoes Jeremiah launched hit their targets which were a few strategic points on the seas bed.

"What's going on?" Tousai Munakata asked as the Sorajima started shaking violently

"The Black Knights have detonated a few torpedoes on the sea bed, making a gas pocket erupt!" the sonar officer replied.

"Will this ship capsize and sink?" Hidenobu Kubouin asked.

"No sir! This is ship is to big to be affected like that, however….."

"The vibrations make it impossible for the targeting computer to lock on and fire at them, meaning…" Kaguya said to her men.

"We now have a window of opportunity, Suzaku, Gyno deploy now!" Lelouch ordered.

"Suzaku immediately activated his Lancelot Conquesta shield barrier and hurried towards the left propeller; Gyno turned his Tristan into a fighter jet and at full thrust went for the right one.

Gyno unleashed his rocket propelled slash harken destroying the right propeller, Suzaku meanwhile did not stop and fire but rammed his Lancelot right into the left propeller and with his shield the Lancelot went through the massive propeller like a chainsaw through a piece of paper.

"Alright, good job you two, now let's rendezvous with the Avalon and the rest of the fleet, we can't fight that thing, but now I won't be able to pursue us!" Lelouch ordered and they replied and got out of their before the gas eruption stopped.

"A….amazing!" Kallen said as she just witnessed how Suzaku and Gyno disabled the Sorajima "_When Lelouch and Suzaku are on the field nothing seems to be able to stop them!" _she thought to herself.

The same awe for them was shared by the rest of the Black Knights.

"Ha ha! He did it! That son of a bitch pulled it off!" Patton happily shouted out much to the joy of the others present.

"This is the Lancelot, request permission for myself and the Colgrevance, Tristan and Mordred to dock" Suzaku said over the radio.

"Permission granted, welcome back!" Bradley replied over the mike.

Lelouch and the other docked on the Avalon and were greeted by everyone from the bridge.

After the applause and cheers died down Lelouch gave them their next set of instructions.

"Listen up, although we failed to stop their escape we now know just how many enemies we have and where they are, so it's only a matter of time until we face them on the field, in the meantime we will do the following:

"Suzaku! Since you are now the only member of the six families which is still loyal to the Empire I want you to claim ownership over their assets, Mister Reed I want you to help him in that matter!"

"Understood!"

"Understood!" Suzaku and Diethard both replied.

"Jeremiah set a course for Kyushu, I want to meet with the Black Knights, I have a feeling we will give those five new corps their baptism of blood soon"

"Yes my lord!" Jeremiah replied.

"My lord should we order the Royal Nay to assault the Iceberg Carrier?" Viletta asked.

"Negative General Nu, the navy is already preoccupied with the sea war against the E.U, and it would take considerable fire power to sink that monster…..also to move such a ship as that Iceberg requires considerable resources, they will probably move the ship to wherever in the Chinese Federation they will dock and leave it there, so it is not a thread anymore" Lelouch replied and Viletta understood and said no more.

**10 minutes latter Lelouch quarters…**

"…God, fate or whatever force that governs this world has a way of evening the odds', wasn't that what you told me a year ago?" C.C asked Lelouch.

"Yes it is so what of it? If Odysseus was with us or the other Lancelots had survived the battle a week ago I would have won this battle in two minutes" he spat out still angry at the humiliating defeat he suffered.

"You really are such a baby, you underestimated your opponent and lost a fight because of that, even the best of generals suffer defeats and like a baby you now through a tantrum!" C.C said and despite what she was saying in a sense she was calming and comforting him

"I know that…" Lelouch said now calmer than he was a few minutes ago.

"…..that's why….I will never make the same mistake again….I will make everything more powerful than anything else my enemies have…..my army…my soldiers…..and my country!" he replied with great determination in his voice.

Just then Lelouch's cell phone rang, it was Schneizell.

"Hello brother, what is it?" Lelouch said answering Schneizell's call.

"Hello Lelouch, tell me brother, what do you think about India?...

**Author note:**

**Read and review. Let me know if I should continue**


	32. Turn VI: Row me bully boys row

Turn VI: Row me bully boys row.

**(Ashford Academy December 31)**

Lelouch and Suzaku were both in the corridor leading to the classroom, this afternoon a welcome party was to be held by Millie for Lelouch and Suzaku's return in conjunction with New Years Eve celebration.

A strong waive o warm air blew from the Ecuador and the tropics that week which uncharacteristically for that time of year raise the temperature to 28 degrees Celsius making in fell more like early summer than winter.

"Can you believe this! Millie wants to through a party and the next day the weather becomes as hot as summer time!" Lelouch said to Suzaku and he laughed at the suggested supernatural powers Millie had.

"Besides that when are we going to deploy for India?" Suzaku asked.

"Tomorrow morning the fleet launches, we should arrive in West Bengal by the 4th." **Lelouch replied as his mind flashbacked to his conversation with Schneizell.**

"India?" Lelouch asked curiously.

"Yes, you see with the military victories you had over the Chinese the Indians saw this as a moment in time ripe for revolution, the uprising had began an hour ago, they have requested we send one of our armies to the Tibet Border to delay the eventual Chinese army which will come through there while they take New Delhi and destroy the 13th Chinese army which is situated deeper in the peninsula." Schneizell replied.

"You mean be killed by that army, I have been reviewing the international situation and currently in that region the only place our army can land is West Bengal and there are 600.000 troops stationed there and there is a special army being formed incase such a revolt should happen, what they propose is a fool's errand, since at the great distance India is to get there and just how heavy the naval war is any army we send there would have a weak supply line and have no means of reinforcements!" Lelouch replied.

"It is true that it could become a catastrophe, but if the Indian revolution is successful then the Chinese will lose a great deal of income and have their country destabilized, that would force them to stop supporting the E.U, it is a risky move but a good general or Field Marshall could pull it off" Schneizell replied, implying he would like Lelouch to take the job.

"Tempting as such a challenge is I have to ask you this : why would I risk my whole army for India?" Lelouch replied and waited for a good answer.

"I see, well too bad I guess someone else will face Xingke and Todoh then…" Schneizell replied which startled Lelouch for a second.

"What do you mean Todoh and Xingke?" he asked now curious.

"Our spies in China have reported the following: the army which is specially being created against such revolts is to be commanded by Xingke, and its roster will be composed out of the following:

100.000 soldiers from the now two Dragon Cavalry corps commanded by Hong Gu.

70.000 soldiers from the E.U organized into two corps commanded by General Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus.

80.000 soldiers from the Slayers, organized into two corps commanded by Todoh Kyoshiro."

"So basically every one who faced my before and I would like nothing more than to kill will be there…..you sure know how to give someone a bribe brother." Lelouch replied and at this Schneizell knew that it meant a yes from him.

**End of Flashback**

"Jeremiah and the other are finishing up the preparations as we speak, now let's go and enjoy the picnic with Millie and the other and after that Lord help us with another one of Millie's crazy events." Lelouch joked and both Iron Prince and Silver knight shared a laugh.

They then exited the building and went to join their friends for the picnic.

"It's a shame Nuna-chan had to leave school! And Nina just left to work on some kind of secret government project" Shirley lamented.

"Well her duties as Vice-Governor prevent her from coming, and Nina is one of those cases where they are recruited from school before graduating" Suzaku replied

"So what are the two of you planning on doing from now on?" Shirley asked curiously.

"We will be shipping of overseas for battle pretty soon." Lelouch replied.

"Really were too?" Millie asked.

"Will it be Suez?" Rivals asked.

"Or maybe the Turkish front to push for Bosporus?" Shirley asked.

"Sorry guys but that information is clasi… *auuuuuu*" Suzaku was cut off by Arthur who bit his hand.

"Oh Arthur really missed you since you were in Asia Minor with General Darlton Suzaku." Millie said to him.

"Well what can I say, cats just love Suzaku." Lelouch said jokingly and everybody laugh including Arthur.

**(OSI meeting room)**

"So there has been no sight of C.C?" Rollo said to the operations commander.

"No, also there has not been any signs which indicate that Lelouch has the power of Geass" the commander replied, just then a agent accidentally walked in and overheard the word geass.

Rollo seeing this turned towards him, the commander tried to stop him, but it was too late, a moment later the man was dead.

Rollo seeing the shocked expression on the man's face coldly said:

"Keeping a secret is essential at all costs!".

**(Ashford Academy announcer booth, several hours latter)**

Lelouch since arriving wakening from his coma noticed that he was being watched, probably by the OSI, their target was most likely C.C, he also pondered on the possibility that the Vincent who attacked them in Kyushu was part of the OSI since he from what C.C told him only V.V could grant geass to other besides here and he was with Brittannia.

After India he knew that he had to deal with them, but for now he had to survive the gauntlet called Millie's party.

Fireworks rang up in the air making Lelouch loose his train of thoughts.

"Sorry for the wait! The Welcoming party for the return of Field Marshall Lelouch vi Brittannia and sir Kururugi Suzaku, and now for a word from our guest of honor!" Millie said over the speakers.

"You know I could just refuse to do this." Lelouch said jokingly.

"Yes! But the two of you are still enlisted as students here which means you are my subordinates!" Millie jokingly said Lelouch enjoying the joke decide to humor her.

Lelouch and Suzaku both went over picket up a microphone and said:

"Meow!" to the whole campus.

**(Ashford Academy campus)**

Gyno was visiting the Academy he heard so much from Suzaku over the past year and was now very much enjoying himself.

"Awesome! Anya look at this!" he said and pointed to some fast food stand which was making dumplings.

Anya only silently took a picture with her camera.

"You really like doing those things don't you, now what should we do next?" Gyno said as he looked around with great excitement.

**Elsewhere on campus…..**

Rivals was searching for the spare energy filler, since Millie was determined to make the giant pizza once more.

On the Academy's rooftop Lelouch was speaking on the phone.

"So everything's ready?" he asked Nunnally who was in Kyushu with Euphie helping fix the damage Sawasaki did over the past year.

"Yes, the fleet's finished packing, they started fueling the ships now, they should be finished in six hours." Nunnally replied.

"Well that's good to know, oh and Millie and the others send their regards" Lelouch said as he walked to the roofs edge and admired the view.

"Brother please promise me you will be careful there in India" Nunnally asked concerned.

"Don't worry Nunnally, the enemy won't lay a hand on me." Lelouch replied with a smile.

"It's not that, I….I was referring for you to be careful with the girls there since India has the highest rate of venereal diseases" Nunnally asked her cheeks now red with embarrassment.

"H….how do you know that!" Lelouch said panicked at the new found knowledge Nunnally was displaying.

"W..We'll miss C.C informed me of such.."

"C.C why that no got, rotten…." Lelouch said just then he gapes in shock since he saw C.C in a student's uniform with a pair of alien ears on her calmly walking on the campus.

"…..what the hell are you doing there in that kind of outfit ….I'll call you back Nunnally" Lelouch said and he rushed downstairs to C.C

Nunnally after hearing that last sentence assumed that C.C had just appeared before Lelouch intending to do some king of sexual role playing game.

"Brother you really are a pervert!" Nunnally said to herself blushing and felling disappointed at her brother playboy behavior.

**Back at the campus..**

C.C was reading a flier about the world's Largest Pizza which she got from Rivals when Lelouch came running up to her.

"What are you *pant* *pant* here?" Lelouch asked her.

"I forgot the Cheese-kun doll here" she replied unfazed.

"Do you even realize the situation you are in?" Lelouch said as he put a paper bag over her head

"The emperor has set the OSI to track me down and is using you as bait." C.C replied unfazed.

"_And still she goes out in the open like nothings to worry…. What the hell is wrong with her?" _Lelouch said in his mind astounded at C.C apparent lack of fear for consequences.

**Elsewhere on the school grounds.**

"The Guren was confirmed to be sighted now repaired and escorting the Slayers fleet towards China, they should dock their ship at around six o clock in the afternoon!" Suzaku said to Millie while he was writing something with a pen Euphie gave him for his birthday.

"So Kallen is alright then." Millie said in relief.

"Yeah but sooner or later she and I are going to have to fight each other….when that happens one of us will" he didn't get to finish the sentence on the count of Arthur stealing his pen.

"Hey Arthur give that back!" Suzaku said chasing Arthur

**Elsewhere….**

Lelouch was talking with C.C about her recklessness when Shirley who was looking for him found them, Lelouch quickly pushed C.C into the tomato storage unit and closed the lid on her.

"Oh hey Shirley, was there something you want to talk to me about?" Lelouch asked.

"You're alone, I thought you were talking to someone." Shirley said a bit surprised

"No, it's just you and me all alone here." He replied

"Well I wanted to talk about that kiss you gave me" Shirley said hesitantly.

"Well…that was just something to calm you down, I am sorry if I hurt you feelings and what I said about other girls was just woody banter!" he replied hesitantly

"You know Lulu, you said you couldn't date for a reason, that was that you were busy with the army right?" Shirley asked a bit flushed.

"Yeah something like that." Lelouch replied and he did not like where this was going, after Kallen he decided to never mix love and war again, and fearing where this was going he wished something would arrive to counter this situation, he then heard C.C banging on the containers door.

"Hey is somebody inside there?" Shirley asked.

"What ! Of course, it's the hydraulics system, it's always causing trouble, in fact I'll go and check it!" Lelouch replied and he moved a few feet away from Shirley to the status display monitor.

Just then Millie and Suzaku arrived.

"Hey Lelouch did you see Arthur he stole a precious pen from me?" Suzaku asked.

Just then C.C hit the tomato container a few times again.

"Don't tell me he is in the container!" Suzaku said

"Don't be ridiculous tomatoes and cats don't mix!" Lelouch said now starting to panic at the chaos which was enfolding.

Just then a Basic frame came up and picket up the tomato container.

"After this I run the course and pour the tomatoes on the pizza right?" Gyno said over the speakers.

"Gyno is that you?" Suzaku asked.

"Hey Lelouch, Suzaku, man this school is fun, no wonder you guys enlisted here!" Gyno said and started running the programmed route.

Arthur who was unfortunately in the way of the frame ran as fast as he could and following Gyno and Arthur were Lelouch, Shirley Millie and Suzaku.

Needleless to say Lelouch was quickly outpaced by everyone even Millie who was wearing a dress which impeded her movements.

"This is the last time I make a wish!" he said to himself and he then remembered something which could salvage this situation.

"And now the Tomatoes are being transported on the parade route by none others then the Silver Knight himself Kururugi Suzaku!" Rivals said over a speaker to the assembled crowd.

Just then Suzaku jumped in front of the frame and dodged it caching and saving Arthur who was frantically running from it.

"But if he is there…" Rivals said to himself as he saw Suzaku.

"There's another guy in the frame!" Gyno said to himself as he happily poured the tomatoes over the pizza.

Just then Lelouch over the phone ordered the fire extinguisher protocol to be activated covering the pizza area with extinguisher mist, which Lelouch used to get C.C out of there.

"Well I this wasn't what I was planning but it's also something fun too" Millie said to herself.

"You seem very stressed out Lelouch." C.C said to him from a limo who would take her to a safe location.

"Are you kidding? When compared to Millie's crazy parties, Gyno's wackiness and you stubbornness a battle is easy!" he said and slammed C.C door shut and the limo took of

**The next day early morning**

Millie, Rivals, Shirley, Gyno and Anya were all gathered at the government airfield, behind them was Lelouch's new flagship the Sarmizegetusa which he commissioned Lloyd to built, it was basically a carbon copy of the Avalon, but was painted black and was decorated with the symbol of the Black Knights.

"Take care of yourself Lelouch, you two Suzaku!" Rivals said to his friend.

"Don't worry about that we will." Suzaku replied.

"Gyno, Anya while we are deployed it's to you guys to help Guilford protect Japan and Nunnally and Euphie, do you understand?" Lelouch asked them

"Yes sir!" Gyno said and saluted in a manner in which you'd want to laugh and take him serious at the same time.

Lelouch and Suzaku said goodbye to them and boarded the ship.

After they boarded the ship Lelouch looked out behind him at the image of the land that was shrinking on the horizon as the ship was moving.

Lelouch and his army was now going towards a land where the enemy outnumbered them, they would have a long supply line and no hope of reinforcements.

Under normal circumstances he would oppose such a expedition, but the fact was the Empire was losing the war, the combing might of both the E.U and the Chinese were crushing them, if he was successful then the Chinese would not be able to continue to support the E.U and be forced to pull out of the war, that might give the empire a chance for victory.

Lelouch knew that the results of this Indian Campaign could tilde the balance into their favor, the fate of the world was literally in his hands

**Authors note**

**Read and review let me know if I should continue.**


	33. Turn VII: With Fire and Sword part I

Turn VII: With Fire and Sword part I.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_We landed on India yesterday and we were told that they were going to rise up and revolt against China by their Sahib, meaning their king or master, and we were jubilant to be helping other to fight for freedom."_

"_Wherever we went many people came and waved the flag of the Black knights, from what we heard from the local there were no Indian troops with the Chinese expedition a year ago and since the Prince gave the Chinese such a thrashing at Fukuoka and on the sea he had become very popular in India because of it."_

"_We were jubilant, but the Old man (his Highness Prince Lelouch as we in good gesture called him) was not, when marching and no battle appeared to be near he never wore his helmet and he always rode his horse Tempest when possible, he had an expression of concern on his face."_

"_We just thought that he was just being overprotective of us, little that we knew what was going to happen, the disaster which befell us, we would have to fight for our very survival and existence, we would have to cut our way back home to Japan with Fire and Sword"_

_Private First Class Infantry Naoto Kan 761__st__ regiment, 501__st__ division, 42__nd__ corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan_

**(Sarmizegetusa Bridge)**

It had been January 7th 2019.

Diethard Reed had been documenting this Indian Expedition and was quite surprised of the warm reception they received.

"Amazing isn't it Mister Reed?" Lloyd came from behind and asked.

"We have marched almost 700 miles in just under 3 days, we have reports that the Chinese 13th army has been routed and is being pursued by the Indians and the 600.000 soldiers of the 7th army are in full retreat." Lloyd added.

"One could almost say that thing are going to smoothly for our side, the one thing that strikes me very odd is that the Indian government has not announced yet it's intention for Independence, they are just reporting insurrections and nothing more!" Diethard replied.

Just then the Sarmizegetusa came to a stop.

"Yes , yes sir I will see to it right away " Odysseus said on the radio as he received orders from Lelouch.

In addition to his duties as head of artillery Odysseus and Kuribayashi served as the First officer and targeting officer of the Sarmizegetusa and Captain and second in command when Lelouch was in the field.

Odysseus was hesitant to receive any other command except artillery, the Sarmizegetusa was basically one big troop's transport which could fly and had excellent armor, the dream vantage point for an artillery office.

"What's the matter General?" Diethard asked Odysseus, who like Lelouch preferred to be addressed by his military rank.

"The Field Marshall has ordered we stop here and fortify our army on that hill next to the city, also Professor Lloyd and Colonel Diethard you are ordered to perform the following:" Odysseus said and gave them their orders.

"General before we go I'd like to know our exact position for my documentary" Diethard replied.

Odysseus looked over a map and replied:

"Well the states name is Sikkim, the natives call this city place Chungthang, but it appears it also has and English name given to it from the time of the British Empire which stuck to it." Odysseus replied.

"Might I ask what's that name?" Diethard replied.

Odysseus zoomed in on the map since it was written in small characters and read it.

"Gettysburg" he replied.

"Then it's at Gettysburg where we will make our stand then" Diethard replied and went to fulfill h is task.

**(Outside Gettysburg, the hills south of the town)**

Jeremiah, Kewell and Viletta along with George and Omar were all following orders which Lelouch instructed them to do.

"Why did you think the Prince told us to stop here and fortify this position? And why did he ordered us to make that strange order with the gasoline fuel and the Lloyd to do something with the C4?" Kewell asked.

"Just look at the ground we are positioning the army, a mile and a half of open fields surround these beautiful and steeps slops, if this isn't the place to have an army I don't know what is!" Viletta replied.

"So we fortify, wait for allied Indian units to catch up and in the meantime we cut to pieces any army which tries to hit us…heh…got to like Lelouch's mindset!" George said with a chuckle.

"I don't think it's that." Suzaku said as he came up and joined the group.

"What do you mean Suzaku?" Bradley asked.

"I was with Lelouch when he ordered the army to stop and the look on his face….was the same look he had before Fukuoka a year ago." Suzaku said and this unsettled the others.

"I also thought that it seemed strange that he ordered us to form defensive circles on the hills tops instead of a line facing north, and with how smoothly the Campaign is going I can say that one thing I suspect may happen…" Jeremiah said to those assembled.

"You don't really suppose…." Bradley said concerned.

"…..Nothing is impossible in this world Brigadier Bradley, and if the Prince may suspect it then it's highly that's what will happen, and as his soldiers we must fulfill his orders." Suzaku said and the other agreed and went one with what Lelouch ordered them to do.

**(Ashford Academy)**

"Yes..yes brother is the one commanding the army sent to India" Nunnally said to those assembled.

She had a day off and decided to visit the school along with Sayoko as her escort.

"Hey Nunna-chan when does he get back?" Myra asked her.

"Well I don't know, that depends on how the war goes." Nunnally replied.

"Well when he gets back do you think he is free to watch a new movie at the theater?" Alexandra asked.

"What….that's cheap Alex, Lelouch would prefer to go for a picnic in the park, right Nunnally?" Eugenia asked.

And another girl and so on and so asked is her brother was free to go on a date, poor Nunnally was overwhelmed and now realized why her brother was such a playboy, the pressure was simply to great not to be one.

**( Tibet, Xingke army ground)**

"Lelouch has stopped his army and has ordered them to dig in?" Xingke replied to the messenger that brought the news.

"Yes, sir…they apparently are fortifying a hill within Sikkim." The officer replied.

"Show me the pictures our spies took." Xingke said.

The aid then put the pictures on the desk for the officers to see.

"So he smelled that something was wrong eh !" General Frederick said.

"It is to be expected of him, anyone with a brain would tell that things were going to smoothly." Todoh replied not surprised that Zero had sensed a trap.

"If that's the case it means he will be fighting on ground of his choosing and we must not let him do that!" Xingke replied.

"I agree. I say we go around him and position ourselves in West Bengal, to cut off his retreat in case of a victory from him" Todoh replied.

By now the Commanding officers Todoh, Xingke and Frederick all knew that Lelouch had a talent for pulling elephants out of his top hat and whole royal flushes from his sleeve, and no matter how trap he may seemed or hoe unlikely victory for him was they knew if you danced to his tune, then Lelouch would ultimately win the war dance.

**(Tokyo settlement, Rollo's apartment)**

Rollo was sitting in his room, relaxing when the postman delivered him a package at his door.

Rollo opened the package and his eyes went wide in surprise at what he saw in it, it was a birthday cake, a present and a letter.

He opened the letter and read it.

_Rollo, how have you been, it's me Lelouch wishing you a happy birthday._

_I know that by the time the postal service delivers the cake it will probably a few months past, but the cake is specially made to go long periods of time without rooting so don't worry about it._

_I also placed some cologne and deodorant as a present, sooner or later the girls are going to start chasing you and you should get ready for that._

_I was a bit disappointed that you didn't join me when I formed the Black Knight, but you serve my father and duty comes first._

_I wish you a happy birthday and health and happiness._

_Your brother in arms:_

_Lelouch _

Rollo could not believe the letter and the present, he took the cake out of the box and cut out a slice of it and took a bite out of it.

It was a chocolate cake and Rollo didn't like chocolate very much, he preferred vanilla or strawberry, but he ate it with relish as tears of joy streamed down in his eyes.

Lelouch had not send the cake because he cared about him, but he sent it because it was good to make friends and allies with as many people as possible, especially when you were a prince.

No one had treated Rollo like this, no one had ever given him a gift or held a birthday for him, and eating that cake which he did not like, gently stoking the pendulant he received from Lelouch a year ago and admiring the cologne he gave him =, Rollo could not remember when he had more happy in his life.

**(Geass cult headquarters)**

Cornelia had just cut her way through the guards posted at the door and was proceeding further inside the Geass Complex.

…

"W…wait a minute if what his majesty is planning to do is what we believe to bet, then we will be responsible for the greatest crime in history!" Bartley said to his men startled.

"But what can we do about it?" one of Bartley subordinates asked as equally panicked and concerned as Bartley was.

Just then Cornelia jumped out of the air vent above, landed behind Bartley.

"Don't move!" she said.

"Is that Princess Cornelia?" Bartley said and he carefully turned his head to see.

"Thank God! Your highness you must help us, we must stop the emperor's insane plan!" Bartley said and the other vocally asked the same.

"Fathers insane plan? …..what do you mean?" she asked.

**(Gettysburg January 10 2020)**

Lelouch was on the deck of the Sarmizegetusa, in his hand was the king chest piece which he played with when he was under stress.

It had been three days since Lelouch ordered his 250.000 man army into a defensive ring around Gettysburg on top of the heights.

The Chinese Forces stopped their retreat and were a few hours away; the Indian Army was now also a few hours away.

"Everyone" he said through a private channel to Jeremiah, Viletta, Kewell, George, Patton, Odysseus was with him on the bridge and C.C was with him.

Lelouch decided that it would be too dangerous to leave her alone in Japan.

"Be prepared, the shows about to start" he continued.

"C.C I have always prided myself with being able to predict what the next move will be, but now….I pray to God that I am wrong" Lelouch whispered to her.

"That's understandable, sometimes ignorance is bliss" C.C replied and those words comforted him.

Just then a Global wide TV transmission was made by Manmohan.

"People of India, a few days ago a foreign army from Brittannia invaded the sacred soil of India, before this they have sponsored riots and disorder within our fair nation"

"These invaders are now in the state of Sikkim and with the assistance of the Chinese army, the armed forces of India will crush this Zero and his Black Knights!"

Manmohan said and the transmission ended.

**(Council of Prince's chamber)**

"The Indian's have betrayed us!" Guinevere said as she just watched the transmission.

"This is now a catastrophe for our side with that army now trapped in India….and brother Schneizell why are you so calm?" Castor asked.

"Under normal circumstances this would be a disaster for our side, but the field commander there is Lelouch so it is not a disaster" he replied.

"Even if Lelouch has proven himself as a great general, can you really say that his presence there alone will mean victory for our side?" Pollex replied very angry because of the high regard Lelouch and his skills were held for.

"Even if he is there, we estimate that there are 2 million enemy soldiers surrounding him, and this time there are no skyscrapers for him to bury them under, he now literally has more enemies that his soldiers have bullets for!" Guinevere.

"To those two statements, yes Pollex, Lelouch mere presence is enough to ensure victory and to you statement Guinevere if Lelouch has more enemy than he has bullets, then he will simply kill multiple enemies with one bullet and so on and so on." Schneizell replied calmly and took a sip of tee.

Needless to say that answer that answer shocked those present, all except for Carlyle who was bloodthirsty, and the thought of what Lelouch was about to do made her almost squeal with delight.

To her Lelouch was rapidly becoming her idol.

**(European front, knight of rounds lounge)**

"Well well, it looks like the Zero will become well….Zero " Luciano said in an attempt for humor.

"You shouldn't underestimate him." Monica Krustwesky replied.

"Oh please, you crazy if you think he actually has a shot to win here tell you what I'll bet you two million pounds that he loses" Luciano said and Monica accepted.

Unknown to her Luciano secretly wished for Lelouch to win since if he died Luciano would not manage to obtain volume two from him of the book he received last year.

**(Gettysburg, Black knights position, Sarmizegetusa)**

Lelouch watched the field radar as the army moved to encircle him.

The hills south of Gettysburg as stated before had a mile and a half of open field making it perfect for artillery, beyond that there was forests which encircled the clearings for dozens of miles.

"The situation is critical, once more you are out manned, outgunned and unlike Fukuoka you are outmaneuvered this time, yet you do not seem worried at all?" C.C said to Lelouch.

Lelouch only turned to her and with a broad smile said:

"Yes, there is no way to escape, we our outmatched in every aspect and the enemy's victory seems certain, and that is why….I win!"

**Authors Note: Read and Review, let me know if I should continue**


	34. Turn VIII: With Fire and Sword part II

Turn VIII: With Fire and Sword part II.

**(Indian command Pyramid)**

It was evening when the battle began.

The attack had just begun and inside the command Pyramid and Guang Hai and Manmohan were both in the command pyramid observing the battle.

"The enemy has fortified themselves on the high ground?" Manmohan asked one of the commanding generals.

"Yes Sahib, the terrain also greatly favors him, currently our forces are shielded from their cannons by the forests, but if we attack then we will suffer heavy casualties before finally reaching the hill and it is a steep slope with trenches." General Mangal Pandey replied.

"That is to be expected of the Niddhog; a dragon can smell danger and react before it strikes." Guang Hai replied unfazed.

"What do you recommend general?" Manmohan asked.

"We could besiege them and wait for starvation to force them of the ridges and attack us." Pandey replied.

"Yes, but how will we face the country if we wait a week , a month or God knows how much until there supplies run out, we must attack now while we have superior forces." General Tatya Tope replied.

"Then it's settled all forces attack." Guang ordered and the attack commenced.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_I was part of the first wave to attack the heights and needless to say we were all very frightened, we were all professional soldiers and knew the great advantage high ground and good artillery fire provided since we had been in wars before, also our opponent was Zero one who was feared by many."_

"_But we obeyed the orders and began to move towards the open field, for in the army it took more courage to disobey a suicidal order than to obey it"_

"_If we charged those slopes there was a small change that we may live, but if we refused an order there was no change of living that is how the army is, so we advanced._

"_In front of us there where at least fifty tanks and knightmares, we advanced I'd say twenty meters in the open field when a great artillery barrage hit us, the fires and second volleys decimated all of our knightmares and tanks, the third hit us, my regiment which numbered 4.000 men was decimated, after the battle we found out that half of our men died from the artillery barrage."_

"_I myself was knocked to the ground and laid on the ground for the reminder of the battle, from their I saw that the Black Knights had entrenched themselves on the hills and our own artillery shells bounced of harmlessly on their bunkers and their knightmares, soldier, tanks and cannons who were shielded by manmade walls, spider pits and tranches fired back at our own forces"_

_By the time our forces reached the foot of the hill I would say of the initial column those where in the rear of their regiments where now the vanguard, and the worst was yet to come"_

_Sergeant Nanib Sahir, 4__th__ infantry regiment 13__th__ corps, Army of Punjab._

**(Sarmizegetusa command center position)**

"Brings us up to report major." Lelouch said to his staff officer.

"Yes sir! General Gotwald command is anchored on the northern hill on Culp's hill, Cemetery ridge, they are reporting that they are being attacked by at least 10 corps General Viletta's command in the center has reported 20 corps attacking from both the front and rear, General Kewell, has reported 10 enemy corps coming up to hit him on those two rocky round hills, the Big Round Top and Little Round Top." The major replied.

"Can your artillery hold them Odysseus?" Lelouch asked.

"Well sir I have to say these boys are smarter than the ones at Fukuoka, their coordinating their attack with artillery fire and heavy bombardment from their air force, but we will make sure they pay heavily for every step forward they take" Odysseus replied.

,

"George, Bradley ,Suzaku, How's the knightmares and the air force?" Lelouch asked.

"The knightmares are ready and entrenched behind fat rocks and beep trenches, their ready to charge out when you give the order" Patton replied while he was fighting against the enemy jets and helicopters.

"Their planes are no match for the Lancelot Lelouch, I can hold them off but not for long we have to destroy their infantry and quick." Suzaku replied and he charged and destroyed another squadron of fighter jets.

"Very well, just hang on a few more minutes." Lelouch replied.

"Lloyd, Diethard is everything ready on your part?" Lelouch asked.

"Yes sir, the gasoline tanks and C4 is ready and will simultaneously be detonated when you press that detonator you have with you." Lloyd replied.

"This is Diethard, what you requested is all set, the only thing left is to give the green light" Diethard replied.

"Very well the." Lelouch replied.

**(Ashford Academy)**

Nunnally by now had heard of Lelouch situation and was talking on the phone with Euphie.

"Do you think they will be alright?" Euphie asked concerned for Lelouch, Suzaku and the others.

"Don't worry! Brother said he will be alright and he has never broken his promise." Nunnally replied firmly, despite the fact that she herself had great fears for her brother fate.

**(Skies above Gettysburg)**

Enemy fighter where coming towards Suzaku, he blocked the missiles and machine gun fire they laid at him with his shield and he replied with his own VARIS rifle, and when he got close enough he slashed them with his sword and then another squadron and another and another.

"_There's so many of them! Hurry up and spring the trap Lelouch…..i can't hold them for long"_ Suzaku said to himself as he faced another squadron, it seemed for every enemy he cut down three more came to take his place.

**(Geass cult headquarters)**

"I cannot believe that father would have such a plan!" Cornelia said as she and Bartley made their way deeper into the Geass cult's headquarters.

"Yes, madam" he said as he played with a pocket radio.

"Why are you playing with that radio?" Cornelia asked him.

"Well you see, prince Lelouch is campaigning in India and he is in a rather difficult situation." Bartley replied, deciding to let out the part about the Indian trickery.

"Lelouch is in India!...We will worry about that later, you told me that they are building some kind of devices to kill Gods, that's ridiculous, Gods don't exists!" Cornelia replied.

"That's right Princess Cornelia; the Gods who have long beards and togas do not exist." V.V said emerging from the shadows.

Upon seeing him Cornelia immediately hurled her gun sword at him impaling him through the forehead.

"P-Princess Cornelia!" Bartley said astounded at her sudden reaction.

"Do not underestimate him, he probably has Geass, that is what put my brother into a coma for a year" Cornelia.

"A very vise philosophy Cornelia, you really are Charles child." V.V said as he got up, blood visibly pouring out of his forehead which still had the blade impaled in it.

At the sight of this blonde zombie child who was smiling at them, the only thing Cornelia and Bartley could do was stare in horror, it was like they were transported into a Chucky movie.

**(Gettysburg, hills south of the city)**

To those who served under Lelouch at Fukuoka and where with him today the sheer difference in the overall quality of the enemy troops was obvious.

While at Fukuoka the air power and artillery were used only sporadically to conserve ammunition for a fight with Cornelia which never came, here they made no such restrains.

The shells fell over the black knights like rain fell over a field, the sky was full with enemy fighters and choppers.

Also the enemy were advancing differently than in Fukuoka, while there they simply charged in blindly, here one armored or knightmare unit shot cover fire, while another took up position and then gave cover fire fro it's comrade to join in and so on and so on.

"4th division has reported two batteries have been destroyed"

"Colonel Kururugi reports 300 allied fighter and 130 helicopters down"

"We estimate that by now we have 1000 dead and 3400 wounded"

Lelouch heard the reports which came to his command center.

"_Fifteen minutes, the battle has only started for fifteen minutes and we have 2% casualties!"_ Lelouch said after he looked at his watch, in military terms if an army suffered 10% casualties in was considered a bloodbath, and usually a battle last whole hours.

He looked at the tactical radar and saw that the enemy was now at the foot of the hill.

"Time for checkmate" g=he said to himself and pressed the detonator.

**(Indian command pyramid)**

"Our forces have reached the foot of the hill?" Guang Hai asked.

"Yes sir, we estimate that our casualties are approximately 60.000 men, the enemy has lost 4.900 men" General Pandey replied.

"So it takes 10 of our soldiers to take down one Black Knight!" Manmohan said surprised at the difference in strength.

"That is now Problem Excellency, our Federation does boast of having the largest population in the world, so we can afford it; also we are having difficulties with the excess manpower so this kind of battle is actually quite beneficial to us ho ho ho!" Guang Hai said with a sickening laugh.

Pandey was mentally disgusted at this whole affair, how they tricked the enemy with such dishonorable ways, how the Eunuchs send soldiers to the slaughter, and how they actually approve of such methods.

"_And the world calls Brittannia savage."_ General Pandey said to himself disillusioned at what the Federation really was, the place where all wealth is distributed equally.

*BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG*

*BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG*

*BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG*

*BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG**BOOM* *BANG*

"What the devil was that!" Manmohan asked at sudden burst of noise.

**(Gettysburg ,Jeremiah's position)**

Jeremiah from his vantage point saw his master's plan in action.

The C4 was placed by Lloyd in strategic positions around the hill's so that when simultaneously detonated a landslide would engulf all those on the field, at the same time gasoline bombs which were placed is strategic position in the surrounding forest, so when detonated a circle of flames engulfed the enemy army which had not entered the field.

The gasoline bombs were also placed in lines, in a parallel manner giving the fire in the forest the visual pattern of the Symbol of the Black Knight surrounded by a circle.

Jeremiah thought that Fukuoka was his masters Austerlitz, but when compared to this Fukuoka was a minor skirmish.

**(Skies above Gettysburg)**

"Lelouch…you really are amazing!" Suzaku said while from his position high above the battlefield he could see the image.

The position of Lelouch army was in the center of the Iron hawk, where the wings meet, the flames which formed the neck, head and wings and semicircle had engulfed the enemy army, and the units who were not in the forest and where in the field where all buried by the landslide caused by the C4.

"Hear me forces of India….I am Zero…" Suzaku heard Lelouch voice over the speakers.

**(Indian command pyramid)**

Guang Hai was now sweating bullets to say the least, after the massive explosion they suffered dozens of reports of heavy casualties, whole regiments destroyed and chaos and confusion from the literal disintegration of the chain of command had left them in a state of panic.

'_Do not let the Iron Prince dictate the flow of battle or fight on ground of his choosing, if you do you are destroyed' _Guang Hai mind flashed to the warning the commander of the dragon cavalry had issued them.

"Is this what you meant Xingke….is this what it means to face the Iron Prince !" Hai said to himself.

"Hear me forces of India….I am Zero…I am a Leader of men, days ago you lied to us and said you needed our help and now you betrayed us and try to kill us"

"You gave us the right hand of friendship and when we took it you tried to stab us with your left hand."

"You are cowards and honorless cures, and now we the Black Knights will grab the false right hand of Friendship and the treacherous left hand of thievery and murder and rip them from their shoulder sockets Black Knights attack!"

Lelouch thunderous voice said and immediately a barrage of Odysseus monstrous artillery fell upon them like rain.

"Awhooooooooooooooooo!" they all shouted the Black battle cry.

The tanks, Knightmares and infantry all charged down from the hill in all directions to destroy what was left of the enemy.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_After the Prince gave us orders to advance we ran l and my regiment ran like fury to the enemy._

"_When we hit them it was like going through the shooting range back at boot camp, the enemy was disorganized, more a mob than an army from the fire and the landslide."_

"_We took care of those who got out of the landslide and those on the outskirts of the fire, Uncle Odysseus and his cannons took care of those trapped between the semicircle of flames and the wings and neck of the Iron Hawk"_

"_Years after the battle I went to a army registry office and out of curiosity asked for the casualty numbers of the battle we had fought in Gettysburg, the numbers where as followed:_

"_Black Knights casualties 5.000 dead, 8.000 wounded, in all we sustained 6% casualties"_

"_Army of India : 1.500.000 dead, 500.000 surrendered and where paroled"_

"_It turned out that most of them choked to death from the flames, we infantry men where all equipped with oxygen masks which were given to us when we crossed the sea in case of the ships sinking so we were not affected by the lack of oxygen in the field."_

"_Now I want to feel sorry for those men that died, but at the same time I remembered how they lied to us and lured us into their land with the intend to kill us all, and any pity I had for them at the time was replaced with hate as I shoot, stabbed and killed the enemy soldiers."_

"_Killing was our business….and that day busyness was spectacular"_

_Private First Class Infantry Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan_

**(Indian command pyramid)**

Guang Hai was just about to order a retreat when all of a sudden something hit the pyramid, cracking the wall and exposing them all, it was the Colgrevance Shinkiro.

"There's no rat hole here for you to crawl away from you pieces of garbage!" Lelouch angrily spat as he raised the cockpits roof and aimed his handgun at those present in the room.

"W..wait we surrender so please ***BANG*" **Guang Hai tried to beg for mercy , but was stopped by Lelouch who shot him in the chest.

The gun which Lelouch used against Guang was the VARIS handgun he had Lloyd built for him, it's massive firepower made Guang Hai literally implode like a water balloon from the sheer shockwave the bullet made when it passed through him.

Guang Hai's liquefied remains where now splattered all over the command center and on those present.

Lelouch then pointed the gun at the others and said.

"All of you put your handguns on the floor. Tell your men generals to surrender or be killed, if they do so then I will parole them immediately, and they will be free to leave, without their weapons or vehicles, but they will be allowed to keep their food and water, refuse and my army will slaughter them, Lelouch vi Brittannia, the Niddhog gives you his word!" he said to those present and they complied.

After they did so, he turned to Manmohan and with anger and disgust in his voice said to him the following:

"You have some explaining to do Maharaja"

**(Gettysburg and hour after the battle ended)**

The Black Knights had now won the day and although tomorrow they had hundreds of miles to march in order to reach their fleet and escape Lelouch allowed them to celebrate the victory and Bradley was singing a modified version of Richmond is a hard road to travel accompanied by several Japanese soldiers who brought some guitars and band instruments with them with them

**Would you like to hear my song? I'm afraid it's rather long,  
Of the famous "On to Tokyo" double trouble;  
Of the half a dozen trips and half a dozen slips  
And the very latest bursting of the bubble.  
'Tis pretty hard to sing and, like a round, round ring,  
'Tis a dreadful knotty puzzle to unravel;  
Though all the papers swore, when we touched Japan's shore,  
That Tokyo was a hard road to travel.  
Then pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeve,  
For Tokyo is a hard road to travel.  
Then pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeve,  
For Tokyo is a hard road to travel, I believe.**

First Kusakabe, bold and gay, set forth the shortest way  
By Kawaguchi in the pleasant autumn weather  
But unfortunately ran on a Iron (foolish man!)  
And had a rocky journey altogether.  
And he found it rather hard he thought to ride over Lancelot  
And Suzaku proved a deuce of a bother.  
'Twas clear beyond a doubt that he didn't like the route  
And a second time would have to try another.  
Then pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeve,  
For Kawaguchi is a hard road to travel.  
Kawaguchi gave us fits, and Zero made us grieve,  
For Tokyo is a hard road to travel, I believe.

Next came the Chinese Horse with an overwhelming force  
To march down to Tokyo by Kyushu Valley,  
But he couldn't find the road, and his onward movement showed  
His campaigning was a mere shilly-shally.  
Then Sawasaki backed by Banks, with his motley foreign ranks  
Kicking up a great noise, fuss, and flurry,  
Lost the whole of his supplies and with tears in his eyes  
From Patton ran away in a hurry.  
Then pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeve,  
For the Kyushu is a hard road to travel.  
The Island wouldn't do, and we all had to leave,  
For Tokyo is a hard road to travel, I believe.

Then Kusakabe followed soon, both with spade and balloon,  
To try the Kyushu approaches,  
But one and all agreed that his best rate of speed  
Was no faster than the slowest of slow coaches.  
Instead of easy ground, at Fukuoka he found  
A Orange knight indeed and nothing shorter.  
And it put him in the dumps that spades wasn't trumps  
And the City he couldn't level "as he orter!"  
Then pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeve,  
For an oarange is a hard road to travel.  
Lay down the shovel and throw away the spade,  
For Tokyo is a hard road to travel, I'm afraid.

Then said Eunuchs unto Sawasaki, "You can make the trip, I hope to see."  
"I will free the universal Japan nation!  
"To make sure of no defeat, I'll leave no lines of retreat,  
"And issue a famous proclamation!"  
But that same dreaded Zero, a mighty leader and hero  
And made him, by compulsion, a seceder.  
Sawasaki took rapid flight from Fukuoka second fight,  
'Twas his very last appearance as a leader.  
Then pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeve,  
Iron Prince is a hard road to travel.  
Sawasaki did his very best but was evidently sold,  
For Richmond is a hard road to travel, I am told.

Last of all Manmohan side, with his treachery he tried  
A road no one had thought of before him,  
With two million men for the Black Knight slaughter pen  
And the blessed Chinese flag waving o'er him.  
He met a fire like hell of canister and shell  
That mowed down his men with great slaughter.  
'Twas a shocking sight to view, that second Waterloo,  
And the river ran with more blood than water.  
Then pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeve,  
Gettysburg is a hard road to travel.  
Manmohan got in a trap, which caused for him to grieve,  
For Tokyo is a hard road to travel, I believe.

We are very much perplexed to know who is the next  
To command the new Richmond expedition,  
For the capital must blaze, and that in ninety days,  
And Jeff and his men be sent to perdition.  
We'll take the cursed town, and then we'll burn it down  
And plunder and hang each cursed Black Knight.  
Yet the terrorists were right when he told us they would fight:  
"Oh, yes, massa, dey will fight like the debil!"  
Then pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeve,  
For Tokyo is a hard road to travel.  
Then pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeves,  
For Tokyo is a hard road to travel, I believe.

"We owe you Japanese boys a great deal of thanks for bringing those guitars with you." Patton said to Kuribayashi .

"General Patton, any force which doesn't have a marching band with them can't call themselves a proper army!" Kuribayashi said and both he and Patton shared a laugh and continued enjoying the show.

While his soldiers celebrated the victory, Lelouch had one last thing to fix and with Diethard was not present for the victory celebrations.

Under normal circumstances he would claim the country as a new conquered Area, but in doing so would damage beyond repair his image as ally of justice.

Also despite his great victory he could not hope to hold out against the forces stationed in the rest of the Federation and with a population of over 1 billion it would be impossible to occupy a country with such a population with only 250.000 men and hope not only to halt the Chinese counterattacks and Xingke army who was still on the prowl.

He knew Xingke was still out there so he would send him a warning.

**(Xingke Dragon army gathering point)**

Xingke and his subordinates along with the Slayers executive committee and the E.U forces commanders where assembled around a TV to watch the announced broadcast of the Battle OF Gettysburg.

"This is Manmohan Singh, a few weeks ago…I together, with the Eunuch Guang Hai in conspiracy lied to the Brittanian Empire saying that we needed their help in….in rising up against the Chinese Federation Union…..they send us his highness Zero to fight for us and…we then betrayed him an planned to have him and his entire army killed in battle…." Manmohan now heavily sweating prepared to read the casualty list.

"The Battle which was fought here at Gettysburg is as follows: Black Knights who number 250.000 6% casualties.

Army of India and China casualties: Total annihilation,…for….for all intents and purpose the army has been annihilated" Manmohan said and he then held his head in his hands from the sheer disaster which had befallen them.

"Maharaja, you old bastard!" Laksharta said in disgust and the old man's treachery and impotence to see his treachery through.

"I thank you Sahib.." Lelouch voice was heard and his hand was seen coming from out of the frame, the camera the panned out and you could see Lelouch with his Zero mask on.

Manmohan then got up from the desk which he sat and left the picture frame and Lelouch went and sat in his place.

He then took of his mask and said:

"This is so you can be certain of what has just happened, yes I am the Iron Prince, yes this is the Black Knights and yes the 2 million man army which was sent against me has been annihilated."

"Now listen up, you may have lured us here with honorless and gutless treachery, but we are not like you, we will continue on our journey, if you do not bother us we will leave you alone and you will know our friendship."

He said in a friendly manner with a smile on his face, his smile then turned into a scowl and with his a soul piercing gaze leaned forward and with menace in his voice and said:

"Stand against us and we will show you our fury like we have showed the army of India here at Gettysburg , so remember if you face us…we will bury you...like we buried your comrades" Lelouch said with a calm tone, but whose words sounded like they came from the devil himself, also Lelouch had his 'I will devour your soul look in his eyes' which gave the warning even more power.

After a moment of silence his expression turned from close to satanic, into a calm and cheerful expression with a smile on his face, he relevantly leaned back on his chair and a few moments before the signal ended he said:

"And now for the weather: we will have sun with moderate temperatures, slight chance of rain in the afternoon, Terence?….."

**Authors note: Read and review…you know the rest.**


	35. Turn IX: With Fire and Sword part III

Turn IX: With Fire and Sword part III.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_After Gettysburg we began marching back to West Bengal to return home to Japan and we were jubilant, we had just won a great victory and with minimal casualties."_

"_We were convinced that the only thing left to do was to get back home and enjoy being heroes."_

"_It was calm, peaceful and everything was going according to plan, little did we knew that this calmness was the calm before the storm."_

_Private First Class Infantry Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan_

**(Schneizell's office 12th of January)**

Schneizell was not surprised when he heard of Lelouch's great victory, after Fukuoka he knew just how great his younger brother's military abilities were.

What did surprise him was the chaos it resulted, the Chinese Federation was now ready to fall apart, reports from their spies said that separation movements within the Federation where ridding the coat tail of the victory, riots in major cities, civil unrest, etc.

Just then Kannon Maldini came into the room.

"My Lord, the Chinese High Eunuchs are on line two." He said.

"Tell then we are busy with important issues and to call again latter…..oh and have the Avalon brought here, we may have to do travel to Japan and perhaps China soon." Schneizell calmly replied and returned to his 'important issue' and namely reading the book "Of Mice and Men".

**(20 miles short of the evacuation area, Black knights convoy, Sarmizegetusa)**

**January 13****th****. 12: 32 pm,**

Lelouch was sitting on the command seat on the bridge of the Sarmizegetusa and was mentally going through battles against Xingke, who he knew was preparing the ground near the evacuation zone to his advantage.

Lelouch knew that up until now had fought battles by maneuvering the enemy into a position which gave him the advantage, choosing the terrain and dictating the flow of battle; now none of those factors which helped him win would assist him now.

What was even worst now he had to face none one, but two enemies, namely Todoh and Xingke which had proven that both are master strategists and tacticians.

"_Walking knowingly into a trap, I only hope that I can evade it once I spring it."_ Lelouch thought to himself remembering the counter measure which he had done, he knew that around the evacuation zone in West Bengal there was a danger of flooding and his knightmares could get bogged down in mud, the Chinese knightmares who were lighter and the E.U knightmares who had wider land spinners could maneuver more easily on mud.

"My Lord we have just received word that Xingke army has position itself ten miles short of the evacuation fleet, I am sorry to say but we will have to fight our way through him to reach the ships" Jeremiah reported to his liege.

"Thank you general, I am going to retire now, I suggest you all do the same, tomorrow we will have a fight on our hands and this time we will be facing real generals not toy soldiers," Lelouch replied and went to his quarters.

There he sat in a rocking chair which was in the room, he now usually slept in that chair since C.C occupied the bed and as he sat there the following thoughts haunted his mind:

"_Tomorrow or the day after we will face Xingke and the fate of the war could be decided then…should I maneuver around him and reach the ships at a different point?... No how could I, Xingke would claim victory and without losing one man, if he claims victory like that, he could use his still intact army to stabilize the Federation and the victory at Gettysburg would be in vain….This campaign was started so we could destabilize the Federation and level the playing field, I cannot run away today so tomorrow the Empire and all the work Suzaku and I did in Japan be destroyed, no sir I cannot…, also the boys are all in high spirits from Gettysburg, they will want to attack the enemy the moment they lay eyes on him….no matter what I do I have no choice but to fight this battle…..no matter how much I wish to avoid it or how ill fated it may be…this battle is inevitable"_

**(January 14****th**** 5:54 am, West Bengal, Dragon army position, a rice field ten miles short of the evacuation zone)**

Todoh had gotten up half an hour ago and was preparing to mount his knightmare, last night the Black Knights had stopped just two miles up the road.

For a normal man this seemed quite a great distance, but to a military man like Todoh it was comparable with the distance between the two eyebrows on the face, separated only by the small neutral region of the nose.

Todoh along with Laksharta and the rest of the Slayers didn't like what they were officially suppose to do and namely quench rebellions and kill their leaders, when in fact they would use this opportunity to unite the rebel armies and leaders under their banner and then along with Xingke launch a coup and reform the Federation. But in order to do that they had to prevail today, they had to….

"Todoh-san, the sun will rise up soon, when morning comes you will launch as the second wave on my signal, I will act as the first wave along with General Frederick and we will draw Lelouch into the trap." Xingke said over the communications radio.

"Understood!" Todoh replied and he watched as the night started to fade and the dawn was approaching.

"_This sunrise floods the field with Crimson light…..the same color as blood."_ Todoh lamented to himself of the great carnage which will follow here, despite being a soldiers and one who was good at his job, Todoh hated war and battle with all his heart and now once more he would have to produce that which he hated.

**Meanwhile….**

Lelouch was also awake and had just finished assembling his army.

In front of him the sun was rising and Lelouch could see that with the Rising Sun enemy knightmares appeared on the horizon.

As the night gave way to the day, Lelouch could hear the sounds of fighter jets and choppers, both allied and enemy engaging in battle flooding the sky with a deadly light show, behind him and in front of him Odysseus's and Xingke's cannons began firing at each other completing the show above them with their macabre symphony.

"_The fireworks have begun, the band has started its symphony, I guess it is time to start dancing" _Lelouch thought to himself.

"Sarmizegetusa calling all units, this is Zero to all my commanders, the battle has started, all commanders maintain position until new orders" Lelouch said to his men, the Colgrevance was currently undergoing maintenance and could not be deployed, so Lelouch had to be careful to keep the army from attacking until they could hit them hard on all fronts with their full force.

A minute later the two armies' vanguards clashed and what history would call "The Battle of The Two Dragons" had begun.

**(The Forbidden city, the Empresses private room)**

"Lady Kaguya this is what you call a pajama party isn't it not?" Tianzi happily said to Kaguya.

"Yes, Tianzi-sama, this is strictly a girls only affair and no men allowed, so it's alright to gossip!" Kaguya replied with a chuckle which Tianzi replied with one as well.

They had become good friends over the past year and they both enjoy each other's company.

"You also said you wanted to talk to me about something?" Tianzi asked curiously.

"Yes! I couldn't say this to you until we were alone; tell me what you think about this proposal?" Kaguya said and then whispered to her the issue.

"The U.F.N, the United Federation of Nations?" Tianzi replied as Kaguya went into details of her plan.

**(West Bengal rice field)**

The battle had started and Xingke and Todoh had started with a powerful attack on Lelouch' centre

"The terrain doesn't offer any advantage and considering the difference in design between the frames of the two armies…" Lelouch said to himself as he watched the battle commenced.

"…. In order for us to win we must use the Shen Hu to break the enemy formation and encircle them with the Gun Rus and Panzers." Xingke said to himself as he prepared to fire his Baryon Cannon at the enemy formation.

"Eat this!" he said as he fired, but before the beam hit the Black Knights, Viletta in her new Lancelot rushed Xingke and with her sword pushed the cannon upwards avoiding a direct hit on her army.

"Impressive…I'd expect nothing less of Viletta Nu, the Anvil of the Black knights!" Xingke said he clashed blades with Viletta.

**(Ikaruga Bridge)**

"Humhhh….it seems Kalius managed to finish our frame and he did a rather good job at it before dying of old age." Laksharta said to her research squad.

"You said that the Shen Hu was built years ago, why haven't we seen it in combat in the Chinese armies before?" Ohgi asked curiously.

"The physical strain on the pilot was too great so that prototype Shen Hu was put in storage." Laksharta replied indifferently as she continued to watch the battle.

**(Battlefield)**

Xingke was feeling the strain of what it took to maintain control over the Shen Hu, but he could not falter if they wanted to win the day.

"Colonel Todoh, bring the second wave in now!" Xingke ordered and Todoh complied.

**(Sarmizegetusa command bridge)**

"_A full scale attack on the center, using shock and awe to prevent us from outmaneuvering you, normally that tactic would worked against green troops, but this is an army which has went through training ten times more rigorous than what commandos face and it is battle hardened!"_ Lelouch thought to himself.

"Jeremiah,, Omar and Suzaku, take 10 divisions and encircle them on the right, Kewell and George will do the same on the left, all the center reserves forward to support Viletta!" Lelouch ordered his men.

"Yes sir!" they all replied.

**(Rice field)**

"Hey yaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Jeremiah yelled as his blade clashed with Todoh's, Todoh deflected the blow and tried to slash Jeremiah, but he skillfully dodged the blow, but Todoh unintentionally slashed one Sutherland which was next to Jeremiah.

Omar, along with his personal guards clashed with the Asahina and Urabe.

Suzaku slashed one enemy Gun Ru and the with his VARIS shot another, just then his alarm went off and he immediately rolled and dodged a incoming energy beam, he looked up and he saw the Guren.

"Kallen!" he said and he immediately flew up to clash with her.

On the left Kewell and George and their knightmares engaged the enemy led by Chiba and Senba.

Things were going well for the Black Knights, they had encircled the main force and where about to move in for the kill.

Just then water started visibly streaming down onto the battlefield from the nearby irrigation system.

**(Sarmizegetusa Bridge)**

Upon seeing the water starting to appear on the field Lelouch let out a breath of relief.

"_So this was your trap after all, to turn the terrain into a giant mud pit…..but I send men ahead to close the water ways, so this trickle is all you will get Xingke!"_ Lelouch said to himself as he thought the battle would now be his.

But a minute latter to his horror he saw that the small flow of water turned into a stream and another minute latter he saw that his knightmares where starting to sink in the mud.

"Impossible! I took countermeasures for this scenario!" Lelouch said to himself panicking at the recent turn of events.

**(Bridge of the Ikaruga)**

"The water ways where poorly build?" Ohgi said to Zhou Xianglin.

"Yes, we did detect Zero's countermeasures, but what he failed to anticipate was the true scale of the corruption within the Federation, the water pipes simply burst open when we gave them a good hit" Zhou Xianglin replied, she then received orders from Xingke.

"Yes sir! Master Xingke says all reserves to bypass the enemy center and go for the Sarmizegetusa; the Ikaruga will use its cannons to destroy the reserves." She said to Ohgi.

"Understood! All cannons charge and target the reserve corps on both wings!" Ohgi ordered.

**(Rice field)**

"All units forward! Ignore the trapped enemy and focus your attack on the center of the enemy formation!" Todoh ordered as his duel with Jeremiah continued.

Just then Viletta gave a slash at Xingke head, he dodged it and in retaliation sliced her torso, badly damaging her new Lancelot, seeing that her army was bogged down, the enemy was moving around them to attack the command ship and she was about to lose the duel, she did what any soldier would do, she requested orders.

"Sir, this is Viletta, we can't hold them o ff for long, request orders sir!" She said as she desperately parried a blow from Xingke with her sword in her right arm, as she covered her damaged torso with her left.

Suzaku wasn't faring any better, he attacked Kallen with his harkens, she blocked and destroyed them with her Radiation wave, he then did a spinning kick towards her, but she blocked it using both her arms.

Just then a blast came from Bellow and Suzaku saw the Shen Hu coming towards him, he also saw Viletta's now disabled knightmare, he saw that her cockpit had ejected so she was safe, but they where loosing the fight.

"Commander, this is the Conquesta, I am coming under attack from both the Guren and Shen Hu, I don't know how much longer I can hold them!" Suzaku said as with both swords he blocked the attacks of Xingke and Kallen.

**(Sarmizegetusa command bridge)**

"_Tactical brilliance on par with me, chivalry on par with Suzaku, did the heavens bless you with both these gifts Xingke?_ Lelouch thought to himself as he saw the tide turn in the favor of the Dragon Cavalry and the Slayers.

***BOOM*** Todoh's Slayers started firing on the Ikaruga.

"All units fire, it doesn't matter if you run out of ammunition, hit their command ship with all you got!" Todoh ordered and they complied.

"Todoh! You God damned poltergeist!" Lelouch spat out.

"Order the reserves to launch another envelopment maneuver, we will turn the enemies trap against them**.*BOOM* **Lelouch tried to say but was cut off when his reserve corps were hit by the Ikaruga's Hadron cannons which where salvaged from the Gawain.

"Give me manual control over the Sarmizegetusa!" Lelouch said in his captain seat as controls popped out from it, controls similar to the ones on a fighter jet.

"Lelouch to all units, when I say now, you all dive in the mud!"

"I repeat: On my signal you will all dive in the mud like diving under water!" Lelouch ordered his men and prepared for what would surely be the craziest stunt anybody had ever pulled.

**(Bridge of the Ikaruga)**

"How long until we can fire another volley?" Ohgi asked.

"About fifteen minutes." Minami replied.

"Zero, with this victory is ours….."

**(Bridge of the Sarmizegetusa)**

"….Now! All units hit the dirt!" Lelouch said as he fired all of the Sarmizegetusa slash harkens into the centre of the encirclement, he then activated the left side thrusters of the Sarmizegetusa and like a giant spinning mace he spun around his anchored position plowing through the enemy encirclement.

His own men were mostly undamaged by the maneuver since he had ordered them do dive in the mud.

The maneuver also caused the dry ground which surrounded the mud to kick up dirt from the surface scratch, and the battlefield was now a blur.

Back on the bridge the crew felt the Shockwave off the maneuver, most of them had been tossed out of their seats and some where even injured, Lelouch himself was at the foot of his command chair, as he pulled himself up, and he issued the following orders:

"Jeremiah, Kewell get the men out of there so we can regroup at the following coordinates, Bradley you go and retrieve Viletta, George you will provide the rear guard for our retreat, Suzaku get down here and assist George with that, Odysseus and Kuribayashi give us covering fire".

"Yes sir!" they replied.

**(Skies above the battlefield)**

"As expected of the Niddhog." Xingke said to Lelouch maneuver, he wasn't shocked, just a little surprised.

Just then Suzaku received Lelouch's orders and retreated to George's position.

"Come back here!" Kallen said as she tried to chase him.

"Stop! Our forces have been damaged and are in confusion from the Sarmizegetusa, we must regroup and then pursue" Xingke ordered and both he and Kallen went to their own lines to do so.

**(Bridge of the Ikaruga 40 minutes latter)**

"What is the status of our forces?" Todoh asked over the comm.

"We have 18.000 injured and 2.400 dead and we have lost 10% of our knightmares, our reports say the enemy has 40.000 injured and 3.800 dead and 30% knightmares lost." Ohgi replied

"Ha ha! We have those sons of bitches beaten!" Tamaki said from his Gekka.

"Not quite, Lelouch has lost a battle but his army is still not fully defeated, it still has fighting capabilities, we must pursue and give the death blow!" Xingke ordered and they all complied.

**(Black Knights regroup position, Bridge of the Sarmizegetusa)**

Lelouch had just finished explaining to his officers of his plan to turn the tide of battle and now finished with one last address to his men.

"Now listen up, we may have done badly in the first round, but the fight is still on! Xingke has no choice but to pursue us and finish the job and we will use that to our advantage…however if you consider this army cannot sustain the maneuver that I am proposing, then I will order a withdraw southwards so we can use another port."

"Commander we may have a bloody nose, but we still are good for battle, we still have a change of victory and I say we use it!" Suzaku said which was uncharacteristically of him, apparently the confrontation with Kallen got his blood up and he wanted to finish the job.

The others assembled agreed with him.

"Very well then! Also General Nu your knightmare was disabled during the fight, I suggest you coordinate your men from one of your corps mobile command centers." Lelouch said to her.

"Begging you pardon sir, but right now we will need all the good pilots we can get, I will just borrow one Sutherland from our men and if not I will go into battle with a M16 rifle if I have to!" Viletta replied which didn't surprise Lelouch since he saw the desire on all his men for 'revenge' of what they just did to them.

"Very well then! Everyone mount your frames, in half an hour we finish this!" Lelouch said and he and his lieutenants went to mount their frames.

**(Xingke's army position)**

The army was assembling for their final attack against the Black Knights and Chiba noticed that a small group of Japanese Black Knights prisoners were being transported to the rear.

She got out of her knightmare, stopped the group and went to question those men.

"What unit are you from?" she asked them

"42nd corps, 501st division, 761st knightmare battalion, 'Patton's Wild Wolves'" a Japanese knightmare pilot squad captain said to her.

"Why do you fight for Zero? Have you no shame or no pride at all?" she angrily spat out at them.

"Why do you fight for Colonel Todoh and Commander Ohgi?" the captain calmly asked her.

"Because he brings us victory!" she angrily replied to him.

"That's why we follow Zero as well, but you see he doesn't just bring us victory, he keeps his word, these days a lot of people say they will give you this or that if you follow him, but when it's time to pay up they never do, Prince Lelouch is one of the few who does, he gave us back our livelihood, made it possible to rebuilt our homes and with Euphemia-sama created the SAZ's of which 50million of our people joined and regain their rights, so why shouldn't we follow him?" The captain calmly replied, unfazed by her anger.

Chiba felt all of her anger and hatred for these men dissipate, she couldn't approve of them joining with Brittannia from her soldier's point of view, but from her civilian's point of view she could understand why…she couldn't approve….but she could understand.

"Where were you guys captured?" she now calmly asked.

"On the left flank of the mud pit, I was with General Patton when it happened, I feel ashamed to say that he held his ground against you guys, all I could do was avoid being kill by getting disabled, a lot of good people died in that mud, some whore black, some whore green, I suppose I should be thankful I got lucky…see you in hell Samantha Slayer!" the captain said and he along with his men saluted Chiba.

"See you in hell Billy Black Knight." Chiba calmly replied, saluted them and went back to her knightmare in anticipation for the final battle.

**(Ashford Academy)**

"Stop!,,,,, Right there!" Rivals said to Millie who was manning a video recording of Lelouch post-Gettysburg speech.

"Did you guys see that? To think Lelouch could turn into something so scary and one moment shift back… It's like we never knew him at all!" Rivals said to his class mates.

"What are you so frightened about?" Millie asked and Shirley and Rivals turned their heads towards her.

"What do you mean president?" Rivals asked confused.

"Lelouch is just acting that's all, like he did a year ago when we had a Shakespeare week at Ashford." Millie replied.

"That right!" Shirley said moving from a frighten state from Lelouch's performance to one of sudden realization and relief. "Remember when we all dressed up as characters from Romeo and Juliet juts how great he did his part?" Shirley added.

Hey you're right!" Rivals said and gave out a breath of relief and he mentally replied in his mind Lelouch performance that day and thought to himself the following:

"_Lelouch's was just acting like he did a year ago, that's a relief!...also Shirley's right….we never had someone play the part of Juliet as great as Lelouch did back then!"_

**(Bridge of the Ikaruga)**

"The Black Knights have moved beyond that hill which lies in front of us, probably to avoid our Hadron fire, their center is a mile behind the hill, and their flanks aren't covering the hill, but are the same distance beyond the open plains that surround it." Ohgi gave his report to Todoh and Xingke who were in their knightmares.

"He probably wants us to occupy the hill, but the question is why would he give up the high ground?" Xingke asked.

"He has taken all of the knightmares from the center except his and General Nu's personal squadron and moved them on the flanks, I suspect he wants to entice us to attack the center with the hill and his weakened center, the hill will prevent our own flanks from supporting the center and he will try to envelope our center from his flanks reserve force." Todoh replied.

"He give us the high ground and then use's it against us, I'd expect nothing less of him, this is what we will do: The Slayers will be on the left and attack their right flank, the Dragon cavalry will to the same on the right, the E.U force with the Ikaruga will occupy the hill, bombard the center from this position and support the flank assaults also we will transfer 50% of the centre's panzers and tanks and guns to the two flanking assaults" Xingke told them.

"Won't that make our center vulnerable to a counter attack?" Todoh asked concerned.

"Besides only having two squadrons of knightmares Lelouch only has his own knightmare frame which according to our battle data is just a custom Sutherland with flight capabilities and the Sarmizegetusa in the center along with Viletta's tanks and guns; the Sarmizegetusa's main function is that of a command center, it does not have heavy fire power like the Ikaruga, the Lancelot's have been moved to the flanks, he doesn't have enough strength to assault the center" Xingke replied

"Do not worry Todoh-san, there is a clean line of fire a mile long in front of the hill, if he tries to come to this slope, we will cut him to pieces." Ohgi replied and General Frederick ho was on the bridge agreed.

"Also if any of them manage to come up the slope, my Ikaruga guard Battalion will chop them up!" Tamaki proudly proclaimed.

To everyone present is seemed that the only thing left to was strike and victory would be assured.

But that was what unsettled Todoh and Xingke, Lelouch was losing the battle, but he was not beaten yet, but they could not see what other maneuvers they could make besides those stated above, they could only hope victory was truly theirs now.

**(Black Knights Center)**

Lelouch was in the Colgrevance Shinkiro and was watching as the Dragon Army had started its attack on the flanks.

"He he..Xingke …Todoh, you may have won the first round, but I will win the fight." He said to himself as he saw his flanks come under assault.

The last dance of the day had begun in full strength.

**(Black knights right wing)**

Jeremiah watched from the center of his formation as his first line of defense was being hit hard.

"That flank! Hold it!" Jeremiah said as he looked to the right, the main thrust was aimed there and they had to hold it.

"Sir complements of General Devin, he is being hit hard on the right, but is holding, his reserves have not yet been deployed, and he asks what he should do next?" Jeremiah's aide said to him.

"Tell Devin all reserves forward; we have to hold the line at all costs!" Jeremiah replied.

"Left flank maintain the pressure on them, right flank continue to demonstrate, but do not engage, third division along with the fifth will join the attack on the left and the second brigade move to prepare to reinforce the left flank" Todoh ordered his divisions.

"If they do not break then myself and the four of you along with the reserve brgadewill rush there and reinforce the attack" Todoh said to the Shiseiken.

**(Black knights left wing)**

**The right flank of the left wing.**

"Heeeiiiyaaaaaaaa!" Kewell said as he slashed one gun Ru and the launched his harkens to destroy another.

"Hold the line lads, we must hold the line at all costs!" he ordered his men.

Just then a beam of energy came from the enemy and hit Kewell's Lancelot, fortunately for him his shields barely managed to hold together.

"Xingke!" he said as he saw from where the beam came from and charged him knowing that he could not hold against a second beam and he had to disable that monstrosity.

**The left flank of the left wing.**

Suzaku now attacked a squadron of Gun Rus, he gave a right high slash, a left jab, a right stab, he then rolled his body to the right and gave a left downward midsection slash and with this he destroyed another enemy squad.

"Sir, we have spotted the Shen Hu on the right flanks, General Kewell has engaged it in combat" One of Suzaku's squad captains informed him.

"Alright, we break the enemy's assault here and then we go and help the General with the Shen Hu" Suzaku turned to him and replied.

"Understood, look out sir!" the captain replied, he saw danger coming from behind, so he pushed Suzaku to the left and out of the way and the Guren's radiation wave arm which was launched from a distance grabbed his head, started its radiation surge and destroyed the Sutherland, killing the captain.

"Captain Panaka!" Suzaku shouted as he saw the Guren retract it's claw.

"Suzaku! I am sorry but this is where you die!" Kallen loudly proclaimed.

"Kallen!...You just won't accept the fact that your fighting the wrong fight won't you? You still keep fighting even though we showed you , you could change the world without bloodshed!" Suzaku angrily spat back.

"An enslaved country is still an enslaved country, no matter how benevolent the masters may seem, for our freedom I will fight for it until I die!" Kallen said and she charged Suzaku.

"Over half of our people have joined the SAZ and our free already, so I will grant you wish and kill you!" Suzaku replied and he too also charged Kallen.

**(Black Knights center)**

"Give us a report Viletta" Lelouch said to her.

"Yes, sir! The enemy has launched a full scale attack on both flanks, our scouts report that there are no more reserves behind the hill, and what you see is what you get in terms of enemies present up there" Viletta replied.

"Then it's time for checkmate! All center units the infantry will move up the slopes and engage the center, the Sarmizegetusa will run parallel with us on our left flank." Lelouch ordered and they all began to move at full speed.

While they moved across that field Lelouch had in his hand that king's chess piece and he squeezed it hard, he was nervous and unsure if his plan would work this time.

**(Bridge of the Ikaruga)**

"The enemy's center is moving across the field?" Ohgi asked.

"Yes! What should we do?" Sugiyama asked.

"Fire the Ikaruga's cannons, after they hit, the Panzers will mop up what's left of the enemy center." Ohgi replied.

"Understood, opening protective shielding, charging the cannons….cannons charged!" Inoue replied.

"Fire!" Ohgi said and the Hadron cannons were fired upon Lelouch and his formation.

**(Black knights right flank)**

"Sir, General Vincent is badly wounded, got hit a few minutes after the enemy reserves started joining the fight. We've been reinforced by Weed's brigade up front, this is what they tell me, but Weed is dead. And so they moved Hazlet's battalion of artillery there, but Hazlet's dead... also we have reports that Todoh and a enemy brigade our flanking us on the right…the lines is read to collapse sir!" Jeremiah's aide told him.

"The Line will not collapse sir, George and Omar and what's left off our reserves we move to stop that flanking assault, we either hold this line or die trying, do you all understand?" Jeremiah ordered.

"Yes sir!" they all unanimously replied and they went to play their last throw of the dice.

**(Black knights left flank)**

**The right flank of the left wing.**

Xingke blade clashed with Kewell's and the Shen Hu rolled its land spinners pushing Kewell's Lancelot backwards with brute force.

Kewell moved to the left and tried a thrust to the Shen Hu's head, Xingke diverted it with a left swing of his sword, and then tried to cut off Kewell's head, but he squatted down avoiding the blow and tried to slash Xingke abdomen, Xingke jumped, flipped in the air and landed behind Kewell.

He immediately gave him a downwards slash of the sword which Kewell managed to black with his left arm shield, but the force of the blow sent such great shock waves through his frame that Kewell spat out blood, and the sheer muscle power of the downward blow pinned him down.

Kewell immediately rotated his body to the left, slashed with his sword cutting off the Shen Hu's right leg and pushed with his left hand the blade off him, making the Shen Hu backup a few feet.

Kewell's left arm was now ruined, his energy filler drained, and his legs became week and he fell to his knees and had to use his MASSER sword to support his frame from falling forwards, the shockwave form the Shen Hu's last blow really took its toll on him and his machine.

"Surrender, you are now beaten!" Xingke said who was also coughing up blood, part of the reason was from the physical stress the Shen Hu was asking of his body and part was from his own illness.

"Then come and get me" Kewell spat out defiantly as in his cockpit he had to embrace his abdomen with his left arm to ameliorate some of the pain he was now experiencing.

***BAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG***

A massive sound of two objects colliding was heard from the hill in the center.

"What in God's name?" Xingke said as he looked towards the hill in confusion.

"_That sound means we will win the battle!"_ Kewell said to himself as a smile crept up his face.

**The left flank of the left wing.**

Kallen and Suzaku both charged each other and Suzaku tried an upper slash with his sword, Kallen cough that with her Radiation wave arm and activated it, Suzaku seeing this tried to stab her with the other sword in his free right arm, and she blocked it with her dagger.

Suzaku then squatted down, pulled both arms back and he head butted the Guren's stomach, which propelled Kallen backwards ,Suzaku then jumped, did his signature spin kick, Kallen blocked it but it sent her flying even more backwards and she rolled and recovered in a defensive sitting position.

Suzaku charged with his remaining good sword, Kallen blocked the blow, grabbed Suzaku by the forearm, leaned and rolled backwards and threw Suzaku over herself making him land on his back and on impact he accidentally dropped the sword and his VARIS rifle

Kallen then jumped on him, tried to stab his chest with her dagger, but he managed to block it and now it was a competition of strength.

***BAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG***

They both heard the same sound as Xingke did and this momentarily distracted her, Suzaku diverted her dagger into the ground to the left of his head, he then punched the Guren's head and pushed her off of him, he then rolled to the right to where the VARRIS rifle was and grabbed it.

"!" he screamed as he fired shot after shot of the rifle's bullets at Kallen who was blocking them with her Radiation wave.

After a few minutes Suzaku ran out of bullets and Kallen out of radiation cartages.

Both Knightmares where now warned out and their energy fillers drained.

"It's over Kallen, that sound means your side lost." Suzaku replied to a Kallen who was uneasy about the confidence with which the Black Knights had won the battle.

**(Black knights right wing)**

"All units stand firm, First corps will continue to demonstrate, second corps keep up the pressure on their flank, Shiseiken and the reserve brigade will follow me and outflank them" Todoh ordered and he charged the right flank.

The first, second, companies who were on the extreme right of Jeremiah's command quickly had their formation shattered from the assault.

"Colonel The enemy is starting to break formation!" Senba said to him.

"Very well! All units forward, we will…" Todoh tried to give an order, but was cut off by Jeremiah's harken which he blocked with his sword.

"Why you!" Urabe said as he moved in to intercept Jeremiah, Jeremiah Blocked Urabe's side slash, he then crouched down, put his free right arm between Urabe's knightmare crouch, lifted him into the air, and then raised his knee and smashed Urabe's frame on his knee forcing him to eject.

"Urabe!" Asahina said concerned for his friend.

"I'm clear but my fighter is down!" Urabe replied over the radio.

"You shall not pass!" Jeremiah said to Todoh and the two forces clashed.

Jeremiah gave a right slash, then a lower body jab, he twisted his body to the right and gave a powerful chopper slash, Todoh blocked the first two, dodged the third move and then attacked Jeremiah with his triple thrust.

Jeremiah evaded, blocked and trusted and managed to counter Todoh's attack.

***BAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG***

"What the?" Todoh said looking back to the hill from where the loud noise came.

"You hear that sound Todoh? To you it is the sound which spells your destruction, to us it is the blessed bells which ring our victory!" Jeremiah said to him.

**(Black knights center)**

"Fire!" Ohgi said and the Hadron cannons were fired upon Lelouch and his formation.

And the units remained undamaged, Lelouch had extended the Colgrevance druid system shields to protect the Black knights from the Hadron Cannons at the expense of half of his energy filler power reverse.

"They…they weren't even scratched by the cannons!" Ohgi said in shock at what he was witnessing, snapping back to it he ordered the following:

"All Panzers fire at will, and get the Hadron cannons charged again!" but before the Panzers could fire Lelouch threw his shield above the Ikaruga and fired his chest mounted energy beam at it, the shield dispersed the energy beam into hundreds of smaller ones which decimated the infantry and Panzers which were stationed on the hill.

The Ikaruga which tried to get it's shields up had one breach in it courtesy of Lelouch shield who could fly by remote control, Lelouch penetrated the shield through that point and went to the Ikaruga's right wing and with the Shinkiro he raised the ship to a 60 degrees angle.

"Sarmizegetusa now!" he ordered and the Sarmizegetusa who was on the Black knight left flank made a 90 degrees right turn and rammed the Ikaruga, that combined with the 60 degrees angle and the shield which was active and was of round shape made the Ikaruga role down the hill to the left and went into Todoh' formation like a bowling ball throw pins.

Lelouch used the same gap created by his shield to exit the Ikaruga's shield before it came rolling down.

"You got to be kidding me, can nothing stop this guy!" Tamaki angrily said as he fired and the Black Knights center which by now was occupying the hill, while what survived of their center was decimated by the Black Knights, before his frame was disabled and he was forced to eject, while cursing Lelouch and the Black knights.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_My regiment was transferred to the centre group"_

"_I was part of the infantry assault on the hill that day during the Battle of Bengal Rice fields, and to tell the truth I was afraid, running up a hill through open country, with no knightmare support would under normal circumstances had been a doomed charge, if we had been under any other general we would have died plain and simple, fortunately we were under Lelouch and with him we could turn what would normally be doomed battles into stunning victories."_

"_After we dislodged the enemies protecting the hill, the Iron Prince popped open his cockpit, raised his mask in his hand and said: "Black Knights always move them!"._

"_I would have gone through fire and brimstone for the Old Man._

_Private First Class Infantry Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan_

**(Tokyo, Governor's palace)**

Nunnally and Euphie where in the main office and where pacing around the room in unrest, they had received reports that this morning that Lelouch had engaged the last remaining enemy army in India, it was now half past midnight and after more than a day of fighting they did not receive any news of Lelouch and Suzaku.

Just then the phone rang.

"Hello! Yes…yes…oh thank God….thank you and goodbye!" Euphie said after answering the phone.

"It's all right Nunnally, their all fine!" Euphie said as both she and Nunnally had tears of happiness stream down their thoughts.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_We thought that taking the hill would be the hardest part, but we where proven wrong, once we took it, the enemy disengaged half of his own forces which were attacking our left and right wings and redeployed them to the hill to retake it"_

"_We had plenty of infantry , tanks and artillery and the Sarmizegetusa to provide a shield for us from enemy artillery, but we still had to do with the infantry and Knightmares coming up the slopes, and we only had the prince's and general Viletta's personal knightmare guards to protect us"_

"_-Stand fast you boys from Honshu, for never in a thousand years the fate of so many had rested on sow few-,The Old man said to us as he readied himself for the enemy's assault"_

"_The hit us hard, at times I saw more of the enemy than my own men, during one such time we saw the Shen Hu breach our formation and it immediately charged the Prince's frame, General Viletta upon seeing this lunged herself at the Shen Hu, pushed it like a sumo wrestler by the abdomen and both frames now tangled in each other went tumbling down the hill"_

"_After the battle we learned she survived and was captured, but back then we didn't have time to worry about that, that incident with General Viletta was just the beginning, for the following nine hours the tanks and infantry with what few knightmares we had hold of the counterattacks, while uncle Odysseus cannons hit the enemies which were attacking General Jeremiah and General Kewell and pummeled them from the side and rear"_

"_And that was how the battle went for the remainder of the day, it continued in that bloody manner with no tactics, no strategy, and no organization; by that stage it was just one big giant schoolyard brawl which lasted for nine hours"_

"_To us who where manning the hill those nine hours felt like nine years, after the second stage of the battle was over we had a name for the place which it happened… we called it Devils Den"._

_Private First Class Infantry Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan_

**(Black knights center, hilltop)**

The battle was finally over, Xingke had given the withdraw order when he realized that he could not retake the hill.

After more than eighteen hours or ferocious fighting the battle was finally over, Lelouch sensing that the vicinity was now safe exited his knightmare to let the cold spring breeze of the night hit and revive him.

He looked at his palm and had realized that he was so nervous that he had squeezed the chess piece hard enough for his hand to start bleeding.

"_We really where that close to destruction!" _He said to himself.

He then took a few steps forward when Suzaku and Jeremiah came up to him.

"Sir we have the final reports: Viletta has been captured, Kewell is injured but will recover, George and Bradley have fainted from fatigue but are all right."

"We have the following casualties: 18.000 dead, 100.000 wounded and 48 % heavy equipment destroyed, in all we have 48 % casualties and most of our ammunition is now depleted"

"The enemy has 24.000 men dead and 110.000 wounded and 52% heavy equipment destroyed, in all they have 60% casualties" Jeremiah reported.

"Where is the enemy now?" Lelouch asked.

"The reports say they are in full retreat to the south, we've won Lelouch, we did it, you did it!" Suzaku happily said and he hugged his friend.

"We've won the battle, but at a heavy cost, I want the wounded collected and the dead cremated, we do not have time to rest, we must reach the evacuation ships now….. Oh and Jeremiah tell the men to fill their pockets with rocks."Lelouch told them after Suzaku broke the hug.

"Rocks sire?" Jeremiah asked confused.

"If they come at us again, we must have some kind of ammunition to through at them, mustn't we?" Lelouch replied and under normal circumstances it would be received as a joke, but after what they had just been through Jeremiah and Suzaku could tell Lelouch was being serious.

**(One hour later, Ikaruga detention zone)**

Viletta was with her hands handcuffed behind her back and in a jail cell, she heard her jail cell open and with her head bowed down from exhaustion said:

"So you've come for me already? You certainly don't waste time, so what will it be interrogation? Torture? Execution? Whatever it is I will tell you nothing!" Viletta calmly and determinately stated.

"I figured as much, so I came here just to talk to you." The man replied and Viletta raised her head to see who it was.

It was Ohgi, who came to talk to her and brought two food trays.

"Hello General Nu, my name is Kaname Ohgi, it's a pleasure to meet you" he said to her.

**(Sarmizegetusa command bridge)**

Odysseus was finishing up on the rear guard deployments when his cell phone rang.

"Hello?" he said answering the phone.

"Hello big brother" Schneizell said on the other line.

"Schneizell? You have the wrong number, I will get Lelouch right away" Odysseus replied.

"Actually it's you I wanted to talk to." Schneizell replied.

"Me?" Odysseus replied a bit confused

"Yes brother, tell me how do you feel about marriage?" Schneizell asked him.

**Excerpt from the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia.**

_The Battle of Bengal Rice Fields._

_Results: Inconclusive._

_The Battle of Bengal Rice Fields or the 'Battle of the Two Dragons' as it was called by the population of India was the culmination of Lelouch vi Britannia's Indian Campaign. _

_After the battle both field commanders would benefit from its results._

_In the Chinese Federation there was a great fear that after the Chinese defeat at __Chungthang or Gettysburg as the Empire called it there was mass panic among the Federation and there was the great fear that the Iron Prince would cross the Tibetan Mountains and march on the forbidden city itself._

_General Xingke after the Battle would become the hero who stopped Zero in his tracks, he would gain power, prestige and influence in the Federation which would prove useful in the future._

_Prince Lelouch vi Brittannia performance would be called a mastery of military genius, since in his short two week campaign he inflicted two million casualties on the Chinese and this would consume their resources and force them to stop sponsoring the E., shifting the balance into Britannia's favor._

_This battle would also be one of the main reason for the Vermillion incident which would occur soon after this._

**Authors note:**

***panting** panting* Read and*panting** panting* Review *panting** panting* Let me know if I should continue *panting** panting***


	36. Turn X: My Big Fat Chinese Wedding

Turn X: My Big Fat Chinese Wedding

**A few days after the battle.**

**(Bridge of the Sarmizegetusa)**

"The Chinese really agreed to that?" Omar said

"Yes, in exchange for peerage and a wedding with me the first prince the Chinese Federation will become Imperial territory." Odysseus replied telling them what Schneizell had told him.

"And you agreed to this?" Lelouch asked curious

"Yes, it seems the best way to tip the balance in our favor so I decided to make myself useful and go along with it, also since it would avoid war with China." Odysseus replied.

"What of the E.U, those Armani wearing bastards aren't just going to sit back and let this happen!" Patton asked.

"I've looked into that matter myself, the E.U is apparently not taking any measures to stop this, no bribes, no threats from emissaries, no severing of economic ties, nothing!" Diethard replied.

"But why does the E.U do nothing to prevent this?…." Suzaku said.

"Because they want this to happen." Lelouch answered his question.

"What do you mean?" Kewell said to him.

"The grand scale in which this wedding affects the world makes everyone be for or against it, if your against it you ether protest or act against it, if you simply stand by and watch it happen, you either will not be affected by its results which in the case of the E.U is not so, or allow it to happen since it would secretly benefit you." Lelouch replied.

"But how could losing their ally and having its territory be absorbed into the Empire benefit them?" Cecile asked confused.

"That's what I intend to find out, we are on our way there now for the wedding, we have until then to find evidence of their true intentions." Lelouch replied.

"Yes, but how are we going to do that? Begging you pardon sir it's not like they'll just let us poke around!" Jeremiah replied.

"The Eunuchs won't have time to worry about the Niddhog since their own Dragon will most likely cause them trouble." Lelouch replied which meant to those present that although the army of the Black Knights would enjoy their rest, they would not get such a privilege.

"It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle." C.C said to those assembled.

"I see you know Sun Tzu" Lelouch replied with a chuckle.

"Are you planning to use those teachings against the very people from where it came from?" C.C said to him.

"Whatever works is fine with me" he replied with a smile.

**(Horai Island detention center)**

"Hey can I ask you something?" Ohgi said to Viletta.

After becoming a leader Ohgi realized that you need great deal of knowledge and insight of your opponent which were unnecessary when he led their small resistance cell, he was determined to do as best a job as he could, so he decided to try and understand how their enemies mind works, that was why he now visited Viletta in her jail cell.

"You might, but I could decide not to answer, so go ahead." She replied.

"Why are you're people like this, conquering other countries and enslaving them?" Ohgi replied.

"We do it because our government's power is in one man positioned and in that of the king and he decides to wage war" Viletta replied.

"But attacking and enslaving other countries is just wrong plain and simple!" Ohgi replied vigorously.

"Are you saying that you're country wouldn't have done the same if it could!" Viletta snapped back.

"Eh?" Ohgi said caught off guard.

"Don't be naïve, every country in the world wants to have and empire and be the masters of other nations, can you honestly say that your country didn't do the same as us in the past or would do so against in the future if it could? Can you honestly say there wasn't a time when yours or any other country wasn't like us at one point in time?" Viletta added.

"No I…I can't deny that ….but we've changed…we are not like we were in the past!" Ohgi said defending his country.

"Really? Let me ask you this since you are old enough to know what it was like before the Second Pacific War, how many times where there protests in neighboring countries towards their government bending to suit the interest of Japan so they would receive Sakuradite?"

"Or better yet tell me the following and I'll shut up:

You tell the name of one country, any country from any timeframe, any continent which helped another country without wanting something in return or to further their own agenda….give me one example and I will say you're right, Brittannia is the creation of Satan itself…heck I will even join the Slayers and fight against Prince Lelouch himself if you give me one example!" Viletta told him and awaited his answer.

Ohgi opened and closed his mouth between attempts to give one example, but no words came out , he knew that what she said was right, every country in existence only did things that it would suit them, to say that Brittannia was the cause of all the words grievances was bullshit plain and simple.

"Not one example…just like I thought…..you want to know the real difference between Brittannia and Japan or any other country out there?...the difference is that in Brittannia we do not bother to hide the fact that we are like that, the E.U and China do, with us at least what you see is what you get" Viletta replied coldly, at which all Ohgi could do was remain silent.

"Pretending to be civil and innocent, while you further your own goals by whatever means possible…you Japanese are just like that us, the only major difference is that we are better at playing this game than you are." She added with anger for this man's demagoguery or plain naivety, whichever one was the case.

"When you put it that way I guess it's true….." Ohgi lamented.

Just then Ohgi received a message on his cell phone asking him to come to a meeting.

"Please excuse me, I have to go." Ohgi said and got up.

"Oh don't worry about me; I won't be going anywhere soon." Viletta replied sarcastically and Ohgi could not help but smile at the joke

**(E.U council meeting room)**

"So the Iron Prince will be at the wedding?" Philippe Petain said to his council.

"Yes, your Excellency, prince Odysseus is after all his chief of artillery, and we have reports that his Lieutenants, including the Silver Knight will be there." One of the councilors replied.

"His presence will not be a cause for concern, if all goes well then both China and Brittannia will be turned to ruble, and we will be done with both the Johnny Chinese and the Damn Yankees." Petain confidently said to them.

"_Despite China doing this without consulting us, this will be to our advantage, and I will go down in history as the man who crushed both China and Brittannia."_ Philippe thought to himself and if all went well, then they would truly be able to do that and without moving a finger.

**(Dragon army and Slayers meeting room)**

"They're going to sell the Tianzi to Brittannia?" Kaguya asked Xingke.

"Yes, in exchange their going to be made nobles." Xingke replied disgusted at just how low the Eunuchs had stepped to.

"This is a huge calamity for our side, the only one who could possibly have the charisma and skill to make such a deal is Schneizell without a doubt." Todoh added.

"What do we do now?" Kallen asked concerned for their future.

"For tonight we do nothing, but tomorrow we start our coup." Xingke replied.

"But isn't it too early? We still need time to organize our forces!" Ohgi replied, he didn't knew much about tactics and strategy, but his time as a leader showed him that how you prepare for a battle is even more important than how you perform during it.

"Our forces might not be ready, but neither are theirs, they have sent most of their armies to the provinces outside China to ensure stability from Lelouch actions in India" Hong replied.

"Then it's now or never, tomorrow the U.F.N will be born or will be miscarried." Kaguya proclaimed it as a battle cry and everyone rallied around it.

**(The Forbidden City, a few hours later, the reception for the Wedding)**

"I must say it is a pleasure to meet you once more Lady Kaguya." Schneizell said to her, Kallen was behind her acting as a guard, the same could be said for Anya and Gyno who were acting as Schneizell's guards.

"This is really unexpected considering we are our mortal enemies." Kaguya said to him in a neutral tone, not one of joy, but not one of hate either.

"Just because we are enemies doesn't mean we can't be civil, also unlike others who opposed us you did not try to cover your actions with the false wail of acceptance" Schneizell replied unfazed and eyed the other Kyoto family heads who were with the high Eunuchs

**Just then the doorman made an announcement.**

"His Highness Crown Prince Odysseus di Brittannia….and Field Marshall Lelouch vi Brittannia and co."

A round of gasps and silent gossip flooded the room, the Chinese did not like the presence of the one who had inflicted upon them some of the greatest military defeats in history.

As Lelouch and Co entered the room he stopped while he passed Kirihara and the other heads.

"Hello lord Kirihara and you gentleman I see all of you are going for the record and going for the sixth abandonment. " Lelouch calmly said to him.

"Sixth abandonment?" Tousai Munakata asked.

"Yes…first you abandoned the constitution of your country and secretly influenced your government, your second abandonment was when you cooperated with us to establish our rule in Japan or at least pretended so, thirdly you abandoned your oaths and sponsored terrorists cell's nationwide and even on the mainland, fourthly you abandoned those cell's and supported the SAZ, and fifthly you abandoned the SAZ and rained fire upon us when you attacked us with the Iceberg carrier, if there's one good thing that came from the Slayers exodus a few weeks ago is that you lot are someone else's concern now" Lelouch calmly replied.

"Why you little!..." Kirihara tried to say but he somehow managed to restrain himself.

"That shows more of your lack of character than theirs" Kaguya replied and walked over to Lelouch followed by Kallen.

Suzaku and Jeremiah who were acting as his bodyguards where a bit nervous by Kaguya and Kallen's presence, but a hand gesture from Lelouch made them stand down.

"What do you mean?" Lelouch asked curious.

"Well your highness you said that they officially cooperated with you and secretly sponsored the resistance, but that shows more the ineptitude of the OSI and the Brittannian government, we managed to escape which show the poorly leadership skills present in the Brittannian army and navy, also you yourself knew about them but could not prosecute, this shows your own ineptitude on the matter." Kaguya said with a smile which caused a huge gasps in the room.

People were shocked at her boldness; Jeremiah looked like he was ready to snap and Suzaku was boiling with anger since Kaguya was boasting of the Slayers achievements and glorifying the Failures of the Black Knights.

For a moment there was silence in the room and everyone looked at Lelouch to see his reaction, an eerie silence filled the air.

And Lelouch broke the tension in the most unexpected way…..he chuckled.

"He, he I suppose you're right about that…tell me lady Kaguya did these old men listen to your ideas often?" he asked curious.

"Not really, I could count on one hand the number of times they did." She cheerfully replied.

"Well good thing for me they didn't, you have more brains in your pinky than they have in their heads combined." Lelouch said with a smile and Kaguya blushed slightly at his complement

"May I have this dance?" Lelouch said to her as he heard the orchestra playing one of his favored tunes.

Kaguya looked at Kallen for a moment uncertain of what to do, Lelouch noticed this and decided to have some fun.

"If you are hesitant to leave the side of your bodyguard then I could just dance with both of you at the same time.

"He? That's not possible!" Kallen replied a bit startled.

"Not to me, we could to it like this" Lelouch replied and he took both women's hands, spun them around simultaneously and he then placed his right arm around Kallen's torso and his left arm around Kaguya torso and started dancing with them, much to the amazement of the crowd, for he was actually dancing quite gracefully with the two women, almost as if he did this all the time.

Schneizell was unfazed, he saw Lelouch perform something like this a year ago at his reception in Pendragon, at one point a pair of young ladies argued over who should he dance with an to prevent a brawl he did so with both at the same time.

"You seem to be quite skilled at this!" Kallen said amazed at just how graceful the whole affair was.

"I have experience in maintaining balance between two ladies during activities which require great physical effort" Lelouch replied.

"Really? And where did you learn and practice this? The Shultz Imperial School of Dance, or the Pendragon University of Arts?" Kaguya replied curiously.

Lelouch leaned his head to the two girls and whispered into their ears:

"In my bed, after a stressful day."

"You….you had threesomes!" Kallen silently whispered to him heavily shocked and blushing at what Lelouch had just greatly implied, Kaguya joined her in that manner.

"Why do you ask? Are either of the two of you interested in participating in one?" Lelouch said to her which caused both girls to blush heavily and to tell the truth Kallen under normal circumstances would have slapped him silly, but since she had experience with Lelouch's "'activities which require great physical effort'", she for a time when they were still together once wondered how much different the experience would be with a third person.

Kaguya herself despite being a virgin had great knowledge of sexual relationships and was also curious at the reason for the high praise of the ménage.

That caused both girls to respond with heavy blushes instead of slaps to Lelouch's face, he noticed that and was relishing it.

"_I'll be damn they are actually blushing instead of slapping me silly, I'm beginning to think that witch C.C might have given me Geass after all…..the power of Absolute Sexual Seduction."_ Lelouch in gesture thought to himself.

Fortunately for the world and Lelouch this was not so, for it would spell the doom of both him and the world if it was true.

Doom for the world because, a Power of Absolute Sexual seduction combined with Lelouch natural charms would have taken away the women's desire to reproduce with anybody other except him and the human race would die from lack of procreation, and Lelouch himself would probably die from exhaustion.

**(A few hours before dawn, rooftop of the Imperial Palace)**

"_What should I do? Should I fight to free the Tianzi or for the good of the people let thing progress as they are intended to?"_ Xingke thought to himself, and it was a serious dilemma.

If he freed the Tianzi then it would be seen as an act of war from Brittannia and the Federation could not at the moment survive such a war.

But if he let the wedding progress then Brittannia would take over the country, they would rebuilt it's corrupt and failing agricultural system, reform the taxes, eliminate inefficient officials, built cities and homes for the workers, it was how Brittannia operated.

If a country accepted their rule they would invest massive money into its development, this was common sense since in the future it would increase revenue, but if it resisted like Japan did, only those who would apply for Honorary citizenship would receive such action.

The country would be like centuries before, under the dominance of the white people, but does that really matter to the common man, if he has a good home, good job and can provide for his family would he revolt against a tyranny like Brittannia?

Of course he wouldn't, for fear of losing all those benefits that is why Japan is now experiencing stability and demilitarization, the Japanese now live to good a life to risk losing it in open revolt and fearing being demoted to a correctional facility for it.

The Chinese people would have to forgo their pride as a nation, but does pride matter to a father whose children beg for food, a man would do anything to give his family a better life, even sell his soul…..

"Xingke-san, everything is prepared, we only await your signal" Zhou Xianglin said to him.

**(The wedding ceremony)**

Odysseus was at the altar with Tianzi when Xingke suddenly smashed the doors and with a few of his me entered the room.

"Neither the heavens nor the people approve of this marriage so how can I?" he boldly proclaimed as he entered the room.

"Xingke, what is the meaning of this!" one of the Eunuchs said panicking.

"Shut up! I am freeing the empress from your slimy grip here and now!" Xingke said and he and his men attacked the guards stationed there.

"Looks like things won't go as smooth as we hoped." Schneizell said to Lelouch who was sitting next to him.

Just then the roof was smashed open and Todoh and the Guren appeared carrying a container.

"I never thought I would use this Zangetsu to steal a bride." Todoh said and the container opened to reveal that inside where two seats, one of them occupied by Kaguya.

"Tianzi-sama please get in here, we along with Xingke are here to take you to the outside world." Kaguya said and upon that statement she ran inside the container.

Just then Todoh noticed Lelouch's presence and extended one arm try and capture him, but Jeremiah, which was besides his liege quickly unsheathed and activated the MASSER sword he received from Lelouch, he jabbed at Todoh's hand severing his frame's middle finger.

"_What the?"_ Todoh said startled at the current situation.

Just then an impact alarm was heard from his console, and he quickly deflected with his sword the harken of the Lancelot Conquesta.

"So he already appeared." Todoh said to himself and he went skywards to face Suzaku, while the Guren took the container outside.

"It looks like we have a rebellion on our hands, how long till your men are ready." Schneizell asked Lelouch, as he and the other where making their way towards the Sarmizegetusa and the Avalon.

"I'd like to request you let me pursue something else than the rebellion at the moment." Lelouch said to him and Schneizell stopped walking and turned to him and said:

"What do you mean?"

"Brother you must find it odd that they so easily sold their whole country for a measly title of Barons, I want to use the chaos which is now present and dig for information to see what the real situation of the Federation is." Lelouch replied.

"Very well then..but do it quickly, meanwhile myself and the Avalon will assist the Eunuchs" Schneizell said after a moment of pondering and they both went their separate ways.

**Skies above the Forbidden City.**

Todoh and Suzaku' blade clashed, they then both backed up from each other putting distance between them and then Todoh unleashed on Suzaku his sword mounted harken.

Suzaku, blocked it with his left shield arm, Todoh upon seeing this flew to a higher altitude, Suzaku then aimed his VARIS rifle at him and fired, Todoh' energy shield activated and it blocked the bullet.

"The same system as the Guren?" Suzaku said surprised since this upgrade was not present during the battle a couple of days ago.

"This works after all. With this Zangetsu, even if it's against you, Suzaku I will not lose." Todoh said to himself.

"But with this…" Suzaku said as he connected his rifle enhancer to the VARIS and prepared to fire.

"How naïve!" Todoh said and he flew past Suzaku and positioned himself with the Forbidden City to his back.

"The Forbidden City…." Suzaku said to himself in frustration, he then noticed the transport container being carried by the Guren.

"Kururugi Suzaku, it ends here!" Todoh said as he rapidly flew behind and above Suzaku and then flew down towards him to slash him.

"Todoh Kyoshiro, not yet!" Suzaku said and moved to the left therefore, avoiding the blow, but Todoh then made an upward slash which severed part of Suzaku's float system.

Suzaku then made a slash with his sword which made Todoh duck and he then did a whirlwind kick which Todoh blocked with his left arm, but it got damaged from the power of the blow.

"Todoh, retreat for now, destroying the Lancelot's float unit is enough, he won't be able to pursue us for now." Xingke told him.

"Understood." Todoh replied and complied.

After a few minutes the Guren landed the container in a designated transport truck with escort.

"General Todoh refueling and maintenance will start with the Guren." Minami informed him over the radio.

"Understood! The Zangetsu can wait until we reach the Ikaruga.

A few minutes later Xingke in his Shen Hu and his dragon cavalry escort arrived and joined the transport convoy.

Tamaki, who was driving the truck suddenly, stopped it since a bridge was out demolished.

Behind them the vanguard of the army send by the eunuchs to stop them was closing in.

"It looks like they fell for it, Asahina!" Todoh ordered and Asahina and the ambush forces of both the Slayers and the Dragon cavalry emerged from their hidden position to pummel the vanguard.

After destroying them they continued on their way to Xiaoping where Xingke main army was located.

**Forbidden City parliament.**

The senators where all under heavy mental strain since they were now captured by Xingke forces, just then a sound of gunshot was heard, the troops guarding them quickly went to face the potential threat only for them to be killed as well.

Then Lelouch with his mask on, followed by Jeremiah and Kewell entered the room.

"Thank God you people came" the chairman said and he opened his arms and approached Lelouch with the intention of hugging him, but was stopped by Lelouch, who put his gun at the man's throat, but thanks to his cloak, the other persons in the room could not see it.

"I did not come here to save you, you are the chairman and the right hand of the Eunuchs or the servants here tell me so you know why they accepted the treaty so easily, you are going to come with me and tell me and you are going to show me proof of why they accepted or I will kill you." Lelouch said to the man and he now very frightened agreed to it.

A few moments later he led them to an office and pulled out a file and gave it to Lelouch.

Lelouch opened it and started reading, his helmet had a built in word translator which converted the characters into their English equivalent.

"My God!..." he said after finishing reading the file.

He then made the man do a confession with a video recorder.

"Jeremiah get the Sarmizegetusa ready, we must tell my brother immediately about this." Lelouch replied and Jeremiah and Kewell quickly went to bring the ship.

Lelouch then turned and shot the chairman, splattering his body all over the room.

He felt no pity for the man, since he was in on the endeavor which would have spelled the doom for the Empire, he then left to board his ship.

**(Xingke and Slayers armies' position.)**

Xingke army was doing great progress until suddenly an artillery barrage destroyed their forward units.

"What just happened?" Xingke asked from his Shen Hu.

"Enemy units are in the hills in front of us!" Sugiyama replied to him.

"Impossible! The nearest Eunuch army is at least two hours away!" Todoh said to himself.

Just then a radio transmission was heard from the opposing army.

"This is General Frederick of the E.U Asian expeditionary force, you are all ordered to surrender at ounce."

"Frederick-san what are you doing? We spilled our blood for each other back in India and this is how you treat comrades?" Ohgi said over communications.

"I am sorry General, but my government has decided to support this union and I am ordered to assist the Eunuchs in your elimination, whatever my personal feelings are I am obliged to obey my government." He replied and continued with another artillery barrage.

"God damn Europeans, they sold us down the river!" Tamaki said over the comm..

"Xingke, this is Todoh, we do not have the numbers or time to break through and reach our reinforcements, I suggest we retreat to pint nine and call our reinforcements to meet us there." Todoh said to him.

"Under the current circumstance I agree, all units you heard General Todoh, redeploy to point nine at ounce." Xingke said and they complied.

Point Nine was in fact the Tomb of the Emperors and they deployed there.

"So all we have to do now is wait for our reinforcements from Horai island and the Dragon cavalry to arrive now?" Tamaki asked.

"That right, but until then we have to withstand the assault." Chiba stated.

"Guess this is our Helm's Deep battle." Asahina added.

"You said the same thing about Narita." Senba said.

"Oh! Then this is our Battle of the Pelennor Fields then." Asahina replied

"You and your LOTR comparisons!" Urabe added frustrated of Asahina's carefree attitude.

Just then an air bombarded began on the tomb and from the bridge of the Ikaruga the enemy became visible.

"My God! Not only do we have to deal with the Eunuchs army and the European task force, but two Knights of Rounds led by Schneizell himself!..." Ohgi said to himself.

"….Also Lelouch and his men are on their way; this will be one hard battle!" Todoh said to himself, and despite his better judgment the situation at present was very much like Helm's deep, he only hoped they would last until help came

**Authors note:**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue.**


	37. Turn XI: It's the end of the world as we

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Turn XI: It's the end of the world as we know it

**Spring Thunder**

By Mark van Doren

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**Listen, The wind is still,  
And far away in the night -  
See! The uplands fill  
With a running light.**

Come under the trembling hedge-  
Fast, although you fumble...  
There! Did you hear the edge  
of winter crumble

**(Tomb of the emperors)**

A great salvo of bombardments from artillery pieces, Gun Ru's who where climbing from the backside of the mountain, the Panzer's long range cannons and the bombs from the warplanes above hit the tomb of the emperors.

"What are you all doing? The empress is here with us!" Xingke said to the high eunuchs.

"You don't understand don't you? Xingke, That's where all the Tianzi's in our history sleep forever." One of the eunuchs replied.

"In other words, a grave. We shall bury the current Tianzi" Another one added.

"We have already prepared a new Tianzi. A puppet that would be easier to attach to Prince Odysseus." A third one added.

"How dare you insult the empress!" Xingke said and charged out of the cave to attack them from the air, only to be checked by Gyno.

"You're the leader of the rebels aren't you?" Gyno said to him.

"Out of my way, Brittannia! This is my countries problem" Xingke said to him as they fought.

"On the international stage, they are your country's representatives. Also…..you were part of the task force that attacked Nunnally and Euphemia's transport, we still have unfinished business from back then." Gyno replied as he changed into fighter mode and fell back to regroup for another charge.

"Our aerial force is limited! Take them on with the preparedness of one-taking-an-a-thousand!" Todoh said to the Shiseiken and Kallen who went to support Xingke.

"Understood!" They all replied.

"Todoh Kyoshiro, shall be coming through!" he said as he unleashed his machine guns on the enemies air force destroying at least 40 to 50 of them.

"So they brought up their full aerial power." Gyno said as he was deadlocked with Xingke.

Anya then lowered her frame until it was near the ground.

"Mordred….don't tell me it's…!" Hong said to himself in panic.

"Annihilate….the rebel force…." Anya indifferently stated as she opened her body mounted cannons and fired upon his formation, most managed to step back and evade the blast, but some did not.

Bridge of the Avalon…..

A few minutes after the Battle's beginning the Sarmizegetusa arrived.

"It's good to see you Lelouch, I am glad you have finished your investigation so quickly" Schneizell said over the comm.'s

"Schneizell we must stop supporting the Eunuch's immediately!" Lelouch said and he transmitted the folders content and the video confession he recorded, and after viewing both of them Schneizell for the first time in his life had his eye's go wide in shock.

"To think…..to think such human garbage really exists!" he said out loud.

"But if that's the case then what is our net move?" Lloyd said from the bridge of the Avalon.

"If we support the Eunuch's we fall into their plan." Cannon replied.

"What we need now is chaos in the Federation so we can focus on the E.U, and the only way to do that….." Lelouch trailed off.

"…I agree would be to see that Xingke wins this battle." Schneizell added.

**(Ikaruga)**

"Stop this, just stop this fight already! "Tianzi having had enough of the battle said as she rushed out on top of the Ikaruga's bridge screaming to the participants.

Xingke saw this and he quickly dived down to shield

her with his flail arms shields, and just in time, cause a moment after that a furious bombardment from the High Eunuchs began.

"Tianzi-sama…..forgive me…I couldn't free you….but I will protect you with my life…." Xingke said to her, forgetting the fact that he was also on an open channel as well as the speakers.

"Xingke!...I don't want you to die Xingke." Tianzi screamed as tears streamed down her cheeks'.

"I can't even protect her….someone please…. Anybody..i don't care if God or the devil himself comes…just someone help her!" Xingke roared over the channels as the massive volley from the Eunuch's army was targeted at him.

But after the impact and the dust cleared Xingke was not destroyed, and he looked up to see who it was that sheltered him, and what he saw shocked him…it was the Colgrevance .

"Please allow me to introduce myself…I am a man of wealth and taste." Lelouch said over an open channel to those present.

"Hey, that's Zero's frame!" Todoh stated.

"Lelouch came to the frontlines!" Kallen added surprised.

Just then a message was heard on the command pyramids speakers, since Lelouch refused their hailing frequencies.

"What are you doing your highness?" One of the Eunuchs said to him.

"What am I doing? I will tell you what am I doing, I am boiling with anger at you're attempt to con us!" He angrily spat out at the Eunuchs, which caused them to panic since they were certain that they took all the necessary precautions to hide their plan.

"Wha….what are you saying your highness? We have been sincere in our desire to unite with Brittannia!" the chief eunuch said as he was now sweating heavily.

"I am referring to this!" Lelouch replied and using his druid system created a massive cinema screen and started playing the video confession he recorded with the chairman of the Federation's parliament.

"After the military disaster of both Kyushu invasions, and the great cost of the Indian Campaign, the Federation is bankrupt, there is enough money in the eunuch's private accounts to help stabilize it, but they refused to use it, so in order to avoid bankruptcy they decided to accept Schneizell's proposal to unify with Brittannia so they would pay the Federations debts', Europe once hearing of this decided to support it since through this Union, China would become unstable since most of the population hates Brittannia and the Empire would become bankrupt, therefore in the long run both China and Brittannia would fall and the E.U would rise, and to make sure that fall would occur, they gave 5 billion pounds bribe to the Eunuchs to fund their armies in case someone gave them trouble during the wedding." The chairman said and the transmission ended.

At this everyone was shocked to find out just how great human trash the Eunuch's really are, just then the Eunuch's got report from the major cities of the Federation signaling that riots had broken out in them, Lelouch had broadcasted the statement globally half an hour ago before his arrival.

**(Eunuchs command pyramid)**

"W…wait you highness..we…we can explain"

"Explain what? How you sucked this land dry just to fill your pockets? How you would rather see this country bankrupt and starving than use the money you stole to help it? How you lied to us and tried to destroy us so the E.U can mop both of our nations up?" Lelouch angrily said over his own speakers which left the Eunuch's speechless.

He then turned around and kneeled before Xingke and his frame.

"Xingke, can the Shen Hu still move?" Lelouch asked.

"What of it Zero?" he angrily spat out at him.

Just then Lelouch pulled out a spare energy filler from his right arm.

"An energy filler?" Xingke said taken off guard.

"Xingke… Todoh..and all of the Slayers, I will attack the enemy army…what will you all do?" Lelouch asked.

"What? Did he just say he is going to fight alongside us!" Tamaki said out loud with astonishment.

"Very well Zero..I will allow you to be my wingman this time..but do not die..You're head belongs to me!" Xingke jokingly said and he took and loaded the energy filler.

"Fine by me if you go in front….I couldn't have asked for a better shield myself" Lelouch jokingly replied and both of them fired their chest cannons at the Eunuch's army and the charged it.

**(Eunuch's pyramid)**

The high eunuchs watched with horror as Xingke from the front and the Black Knights with Schneizell and the Rounds from the rear and flanks decimated their army and the E.U task froce.

***BANG***

A loud noise was heard and Xingke and his Shen Hu smashed into the command pyramid.

"This is it for you Eunuch's!" Xingke stated as he drew out his sword and cut each of them one by one.

**(A few hours later…..)**

Lelouch and his lieutenants where outside the Avalon, Xingke and Schneizell where inside negotiating what to do from here on .

Lelouch decided to stay outside, he was now mentally planning how to destroy the Geass cult since, from his investigations he was sure it was in the Federation, and with the chaos it was going through he doubted that they would notice his 'snooping' so to speak and even if they did they would have other problems on they're hands.

He knew that first he had to destroy the OSI he had on his tail.

Just then Todoh along with the other Slayers walked up to them, but before Todoh could say anything he saw that Lelouch was trying to restrain his laughter and he shared what he thought so funny with his lieutenants and they were all now trying to contain their laughter.

"What is so funny?" Todoh asked very annoyed thinking they were mocking him.

"Well Colonel ….let me put it to you this way" Lelouch said from time to time clasping his mouth to retain his laughter.

"You, Kallen and the Shiseiken are all wearing uniform which are of different color and enhance your capabilities right?" Lelouch asked.

"Yes, that's right." Todoh replied still annoyed.

"All of you pilot giant robots right?" Lelouch added

"Yes that's right." Todoh replied starting to get angry.

"And all of you fight against what you perceive to be evil, right?" Lelouch said and clasped his mouth to try to retain his laughter which by now looked like he was about to fail.

"YES THAT'S RIGHT, NOW CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS SO FUNNY?" Todoh angrily shouted out at him.

"Well…with the colors…power suits…and robots….YOU'RE THE POWER RANGER, BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA" Lelouch replied and laughed wholeheartedly, his subordinates joining him.

Todoh upon hearing this looked at his clothes and his comrade's clothes and his anger turned to embarrassment as he realized Lelouch was right, the other Slayers were also equally embarrassed.

"BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA…let me ask you Colonel…. Rita she really isn't such a bitch like she's made out to be, is she? BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA" Bradley said to him and another round of laughter came from Lelouch and his men.

"T..Todoh" Jeremiah said between chuckle" You know when you hit the Siegfried making me plummet down to the depths of the Ocean?... AFTER TODAY ALL IS FORGIVEN! BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA" Jeremiah said to him.

"Now I know why you kept slipping through our fingers, you had Zordon to help you." Patton added

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA another round of laughter came from the men, even some of the Slayers laughed at that one.

"Stop this! I have a serious question!" Lelouch said and the laughter died out, and with a serious face he walked up to Todoh and said.

"So what happened to your Zords? Did you forget to dry clean them and they shrank in the laundry?" Lelouch asked and at that last comment another round of laughter began pouring out , not just from the Black Knights, but from the Slayers as well, Todoh initially embarrassed by the situation eventually let go off it an joined them laughing.

A few moments latter Xingke along with Schneizell emerged from the Avalon.

"We have finished our negotiations; in exchange for denouncing the E.U, and to stop supporting them you and your armies will leave the federation immediately, the wedding however will not take place." Xingke said to those gathered.

"What of my subordinates General Nu?" Lelouch asked.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Schneizell added as a helicopter appeared from the horizon and after landing Viletta made her way out and was embraced by her fellow Black Knights.

"Did Schneizell really accept to leave so easily?" Ohgi asked Xingke.

"Currently Brittannia is viewed by the world as being the victim in the E.U and the eunuch ploy, our own country is now divided with anti and pro eunuch forces, the most profitable thing for him to do is just leave and let us shoot at each other, since if he stayed we would be united against a common threat." Xingke replied.

"What do you think will happen with the E.U?" Todoh asked him.

"I don't know for certain, but for their sake I am glad that Lelouch's army will not be going anywhere soon." Xingke replied.

"Why is that?" Ohgi asked.

"Because Schneizell said to me that Lelouch told him that if he ever got on E.U soil.. he would make them how" Xingke replied.

Just then Lelouch was washing by a river and was still smiling from the joke, how anyone could one have the face of an angel and at the same time be as scary as the devil puzzled Ohgi.

Xingke knew that is was difficult but not impossible, after all a great general was looked by his soldiers as an angel and by his enemies the devil.

Between Xingke and Lelouch which one was the more merciful angel, and which was the more crueler devil was something not yet decided…not yet at least.

**Meanwhile….**

Lelouch was by a nearby river splashing water onto his face when Kallen came up to him.

She did not know what to say and for a moment both just stared at each other, until he broke the silence.

"Take care of yourself Kallen." He said and he walked away to his ship.

Kallen watched him leave her mind now a mixture of emotions she could not describe, some of relief that they didn't make a scene, some of regret that he left.

**(Lelouch's quarters, Sarmizegetusa)**

"What do we do now?" Odysseus asked Lelouch.

"Well, we are going back to Japan, so I suggest you all get some rest after today, oh Suzaku Jeremiah, please stay I need help with these reports and C.C is just t o lazy to do so." He said and they replied.

"Listen up guys…we have problems" Lelouch said to them after the door became shut.

"Another list my liege?" Jeremiah said, to Suzaku's confusion.

"Something like that..it occurs to me that my father has the OSI watching me, I have located spies in my school, house staff ,the government building, even among my own ranks of Black Knights." Lelouch said and he showed them the names of those he managed to detect.

"Why would the emperor do such a thing?" Suzaku said to him.

"I don't know" he said lying through his teeth " But in this kind of situation it's better we disable them, this is my plan, we will kill them and we will continue to send dummy reports to the emperor, I will take care of those in Japan, the two of you take care of those in the Black knights, they are still in West Bengal waiting for the order to ship out, so tonight I want you to organize a party and kill the following." he gave them a letter which contained their names and pictures.

"But won't they notice your absence?" Jeremiah said to him.

"Whose absence? Mine?...Or his?" he said as a masked figure wearing the Zero mask entered the room.

The figure then took of its mask to reveal Sayoko.

"I summoned Sayoko after the battle ended and she just arrived, she will act as my double, you're jobs Jeremiah and Suzaku will be to make sure that the others do not discover this." Lelouch told them.

"Wouldn't be easier to let Kewell, Viletta and the others in on the whole thing?" Suzaku asked.

"No, since it would mean a change in their usual day to day behavior, you Suzaku are always with me since you are my unofficial bodyguard and so are you Jeremiah since you are my second in command, to have one's bodyguard and second besides him all time is normal, however up until now I did not have the others besides me all the time, so a change in that would be seen as odd by the agents who infiltrated our ranks." Lelouch replied and they understood.

"What if Sayoko needs to take of the mask?" Jeremiah asked.

"That is not a problem!" Sayoko said and opened a briefcase which contained a mask off Lelouch's face.

The three of them saluted and then they went to start the charade.

With that in order Lelouch prepared to go back to Japan and make it 'pest free' so to speak.

"You do realize that when he finds out it will be considered treason?" C.C asked him.

At this Lelouch turned to her, grabbed her by the shirt pulled her up to him, kissed her and after breaking the kiss whispered in her ear:

"I have never once betrayed him….nor will I ever….for I never given and will never give my allegiance to him" he said and he then nibbled her earlobe.

C.C despite being no stranger to sex, was much to her embarrassment reactioning to his teasing.

"_This is stupid….I am getting wet over just a simple kiss and nibble…..but how long has it been since I was with a man…"_ she said to herself as she gasped in pleasure as Lelouch started kissing her neck.

To Lelouch's surprise she was responding positively to his advances, C.C had the habit of annoying him and teasing him, so he decided to give her a taste of her own medicine and to his surprise she actually liked its taste…..

**(Tokyo, Stadfelt manner)**

James Stadfelt was sitting at his desk and to be honest he was miserable, he could not even think about a moment in time where he had ever been more miserable than now.

He wondered when he had ever been happy…oh yes, that was before the war.

Back then he was married to a woman he loved, he had children which loved him, he'll he knew that one day his family might find out so he purchased a small house in the country, he transferred what to nobles could be considered small amount of money, several million pounds into hundreds of small accounts under fake names, he had everything prepared.

Then the war came and Japan was conquered, no longer a threat and rival to Brittannia, and with that change which affected the world so too did it affect his own life.

One day his father came to him and said the following:

"_This baroness is who you will marry, the woman you are currently married to you will divorce immediately, if you run away know this all of your 'secret' bank accounts have been frozen, I will sent bad recommendations to every company great and small, by the time I am finished with you the only means for money you will be able to have will be begin on the streets if you defy me."_

And that was when the continues torture called married life began, his first wife Nodoka….she actually understood and didn't oppose it, she was thinking of her children and she knew from the start that this might be where there relationship might end.

So they divorced, he however still paid them great amounts of money to support them, it was like any other man with a divorced wife paying her alimony.

So he divorced and married that woman, it wasn't as though he didn't try being a good husband to her, it was just that she wasn't his type, they where incompatible plain and simple.

Then his son in anger and frustration at the world decided to become a rebel guerilla fighter, he was not angry with his son, but afraid that he might get killed, but since he was his son and he couldn't stop him he might as well help him, he was their secret sponsor, Naoto never really did tell them where the weapons, money and even that Old Glasgow came from, and he used what influence the Stadfelt had to watch his back so to speak.

Then Naoto died, he could not remember crying more, drinking more or contemplating suicide more than on that day…..he thought he hit rock bottom….until tests showed that his second wife Bridget was infertile so his father decided that since Kallen looked more Brittannia than Japanese she should be adopted as the heir to the Stadfelt fortune….Nodoka still suffering from the loss of her son begged him to let her stay with Kallen, he still remembered that day and what she said to him:

"_I don't care how I will be treated in this house, I don't care if Kallen hates me, all I want to do is be near here…..Please James…..she's all I have left"_ his former wife said bursting into tears.

Those final five words to him was like being struck by lightning, at that plea all he could do was agree,

Following that when he discovered that she was in a rehab clinic for refrain he wanted to visit her, but once he was there he saw Kallen doing the same thing, and the sight of the two of them so happy made him realize that they were happy without him, so he decided not to enter their world, he had done enough harm to them already.

He remembered that after that he discovered that while he was returning home from a business trip, he without being detected saw that Bridget used the times when he was away to have affairs, but at that point to him it didn't matter, the women he loved was gone, he was married to a harpy, his son was dead, his daughter hated him and like her brother joined the resistance.

And the crushing reality came bearing upon him:

Everyone was more happy in his absence than in his presence, Bridget could conduct her affairs in peace, Kallen could be with the Slayers as much as she wanted to be, Nodoka seemed to be doing fine without him…..the only thing he had left was work so he dedicated himself to it, coming home as rarely as possible.

Then what got him into this miserable state of being struck him just a few moments ago, it was the Stadfelt name the reason he was forced to divorce Nodoka, the Stadfelt name forced him to marry Bridget, the Stadfelt name that was the reason directly or indirectly that caused Nodoka to use Refrain, and the Stadfelt name which drove Kallen into hating him and Naoto's death, and for these past years he had worked hard to give that name even more power and even more influence.

That was the breaking point for him, and he looked to what he was holding in his hands…..it was a revolver.

He now moved the revolver to his head and cocked the gun, he was about to pull the trigger, when all of a sudden the phone rang.

He didn't know why but after a moment of pondering he answered the phone, while he still had the revolver pointed at his head.

"Hello?" James said into the phone.

"Mister Stadfelt, this is Field Marshall Lelouch vi Brittannia" Lelouch on the other line said.

"Your highness!" James said, despite what you may think of him he like all Brittannian's knew how to respect royalty.

"At ease mister Stadfelt, I came here to make you an offer." Lelouch said.

"An offer?" James said to him while he thought to himself." _Well at least he will get a bang out of my answer"_

"Yes, you are aware of Black Corporation which I own?" Lelouch asked.

"Yes sir." He replied.

"Up until know I managed it in my free time, but it has become too great for me with my extra responsibilities to focus my full time on it as it would be proper so I someone who is capable to manage it, I am asking you this since you're real-estate branch which you manage has shown impressive numbers and I would like to recruit you for my Black Corporation as its President." Lelouch replied.

"My lord I have only one question to ask." James said as this was the make or break to him.

"As your Company Black Corporation grows will it eventually come into conflict with the Stadfelt Corporation?" James asked.

"Sooner or later everything that is old comes into conflict with what is new." Lelouch replied diplomatically, he expected that the man would refuse him, like the other capable nobles he had phoned earlier.

"In that case I will do it." James replied happily which cut Lelouch off guard and he put the gun down.

"Very well, then you may start next week." Lelouch replied and hung up the phone, Lelouch then switched with Sayoko and prepared to journey to Japan.

He then happily looked at his blue tuxedo and realized that since he was turning over allegiance to the Black Knights he would have to look the part, he summoned his tailor to make him a black business suit version of the Black knight's uniform, completed with an armband.

James was at the moment ecstatic; he had been a secret supporter of the Phoenix Fund, Black Knights and Black Corporation since day one, since he wanted a country free of the discriminations which plagued it.

And this offer was like a dream come true, he would fight against injustice , get back at his father, destroy his hated family name, also he had the prospect of reconciliation if not with Nodoka than at least with Kallen, and above all that since his new master was a Prince in was patriotic work.

"All Hail Lelouch!" he said to himself as he threw away the gun in the trash bin.

And this was the moment in which unknown to anyone at the present, would be the first day of the new age for Brittannia, combined with what happened in China a few hours ago from this moment onward the New Era would begin, more soldiers would swore their allegiance to Lelouch, more companies would be owned by him, his popularity among the common people both Numbers and citizens would only continue to rise.

Historians called it the day the old world started to fade and the new world started to shine.

The day was fast approaching when the oath Lelouch made before the world at Kawaguchi would arrive.

''''

_It would have been easy to kill them all, but my purpose is to bring justice to Japan and not revenge and retribution!_

_The various politicians and business men I arrested some time ago was also for this same reason, they're corruption, and indifference to the sufferings of the Japanese people have turned them into monsters, whose only belief is money, therefore I have punished them! And have locked them in our deepest darkest dungeon, where they will never see the light out day again, I do not wish to fight, but I cannot stand by and watch as the innocent suffer under the guilty, the corrupt steals the bread of the just'_

_"Only those who are prepared to be killed should have the right to kill!"_

_"Those who are evil fear us!" _

_"Those who are weak seek us!" _

_"The Black Knights will bring justice to this world!"_

_Father ! Here before the world, and before you I pledge to you that the corrupt will be brought to justice, the wicked will be punished, and as long as I breathe never again those who are innocent will suffer under those who are evil"_

_THY KINGDOM COME!"_

'''''

The day when God's kingdom would arrive was perhaps years, centuries or even millennia's away, but the day in which Lelouch's kingdom would come was unknown to anyone rapidly approaching.

**Author note **

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue**


	38. Turn XII: Don Giovanni, a cenar teco?

Turn XII**: Don Giovanni, a cenar teco?"**

**(Tokyo OSI headquarters)**

The members of the OSI had all gathered in the meeting room.

The room was exceptionally hot for no reason, so everyone drank from glasses of coke which were on the table.

"Well Perkins why did you summon us, and what was with the communication silence until we arrived here?" one man asked.

"The reason, gentleman is to settle accounts." Perkins replied and looked at his watch; after the number of time which satisfied him passed he smiled, sat down in his chair, put his hand on his face and tore off the mask.

To reveal to the shock of those present since it revealed the face of Lelouch.

"Perkins was killed by me, and now it is your turn to be given game over." Lelouch calmly proclaimed as he continued to look at his wrists watch and mentally count down from ten.

"_Ten"_

The OSI soldiers all drew their guns from their holders.

"_Nine"_

"Lelouch vi Brittannia for attacking his majesty's soldiers you are place under arrest" one of the agents said to him.

"_Eight"_

Those present saw that he was not reacting which made them feel uneasy.

"_Seven"_

"I repeat you are under arrest, so lay down on the ground and put your hands behind your head" the leader said.

"_Six"_

He did not respond, which made those present very nervous about his apparent lack of concern, so unserious that they were not paying attention to their arms and legs which were starting to go num.

"_Five"_

"I repeat, lay down on the ground with your hands above your head"

"_Four"_

Seeing he wasn't responding the leader cocked his gun.

"_Three"_

With the gun now cocked he aimed it at Lelouch's shoulder.

"_Two"_

"I will shoot you if you do not comply!" the leader said to him.

"_One"_

He now moved his finger to the trigger and prepared to press it.

Only for his body to go numb and he along with every other OSI agent fell on the floor paralyzed.

"_Zero"_

"If you are wondering what happened, the drinks you took contained a very strong muscle paralysis, you will remain like that for several hours." Lelouch told them, he then got up from his chair, pressed a button on the computer surveillance console making a song play on the room's speakers and from behind himself he took a container of gasoline and began to empty it on those present.

"W…what are you doing?" the leader of the group said as he was now filled with fear.

"I am pouring gasoline on all of you with the intent to light it" Lelouch said unfazed as he continued his task

"Wait! Please don't do this, we all have families, spare our lives and we wills serve you and you alone." one OSI agent begged him.

"Serve me? But you have already pledged allegiance to my father, how can I trust men who forsake their master so easily…." Lelouch said as he finished pouring the gasoline and from his pocket he produced a lighter.

" ….And I'd be a fool if I thought I could walk the road of power without killing in cold blood. Also the music you are hearing is Requiem for Mozart 1 & 2 from the movie Elizabeth, do you know in which scene it is used fro?..." He replied and lighted the lighter.

"…The scene where all the spies and conspirators in the kingdom are all eliminated." He added and walked towards the door, once he was in the door frame he turned and looked at the OSI agents still paralyzed and now mortified with fear since they knew a painful and gruesome death awaits them.

"For God's sake your highness at least give us a painless death, what kind of a man are you if you do something like this!" one agent shouted desperately at Lelouch.

"What am I? I am neither saint nor devil…..neither sinner nor divine, I am….Zero." Lelouch calmly replied and he threw the lighter on them and closed the door, ironically the door was sound proof so the great horror which was now happening inside of it would remain unheard.

Lelouch then walked away, caught deep in his thoughts.

"_All of the OSI agents where accounted for , except from the files I accessed while I masqueraded as Perkins one agent named Rollo is still at large, the flames to do their job and then I will wait for Rollo to come to me."_ He thought to himself.

**(Schneizell's office, Avalon)**

Schneizell was having a conversation with his other sibling on what to do next.

"The actions of the Chinese gives us pretext for war against them." Guinevere said.

"Oh yah, let's have war and kill them all" Carlyle added with glee.

"That would be ill advised, since we are still at war with the E.U" Odysseus added.

"I agree, we should focus on the E.U first ad I believe I could manage to obtain at least half of their territory through diplomacy and bribes" Schneizell replied calmly.

"What about the armies? With Cornelia gone who will lead them?" Guinevere asked.

"That is not a problem, we have a capable field commander within our ranks" Schneizell replied.

"Are you referring to Lelouch?" Castor spat out, he and his twin Pollex where very jealous of Lelouch' accomplishments.

Schneizell gave a nod.

"What's so special about him, he isn't even here, he is partying with his troops, he does not have the conduct of an officer, he eats with his enlisted men, jokes with them, a general and a prince should not have such a disgraceful behavior!" Pollex added.

"Because of his military victories the men will follow him, and because of his 'disgraceful behavior' they will give their love him, he is perfect for the job, but if you fell you brother can do a better job you are welcome to challenge him for the title of Grand Marshall." Schneizell replied and at this Castor and Pollex both shut up, they like the majority of the other tens of imperial sibling where cruel and hateful hyenas, but where cowards when compared to lions or in Lelouch's case a Dragon.

**(Tokyo OSI headquarters)**

Rollo was rushing inside the OSI building and the sight of what was inside caught him off guard.

The floor was black from the fire, by now there was no trace of the bodies of the agents except spots of unburned floor from where their bodies where.

Just then the sound of a gun being coked was heard from behind, Rollo turned his head only to see Lelouch holding his gun at him.

"Well, well, well…I knew that you were one of my father's agents, but I didn't expect you to be an OSI" Lelouch said with a wicked grin.

"You….you….you knew about us!" Rollo said shocked.

"It wasn't easy…and considering whom I am that is the highest praise I would ever give any opponent of mine." Lelouch replied.

Just then Rollo activated his geass, he then turned around and tried to reach for the gun but Lelouch pressed it against Rollo's neck.

"H….how?" Rollo said now greatly panicked.

"After what happened in Fukuoka I knew there was some kind of geass user after me, so I had Lloyd built me this little geass canceller." Lelouch said and he showed Rollo the canceller which was like a wrestler's award belt wrapped under his shirt.

"Let me ask you a question Rollo, why are you after me?" Lelouch asked him.

"It's C.C we want, you're the bait." Rollo replied.

"I see..and after you captured her then what?" Lelouch replied.

"Eh?" Rollo replied confused.

"You'll just be assigned another mission, then another and another….until you die…don't you want a better life than that?" Lelouch asked.

"A better life?" Rollo asked very confused.

"Yes Rollo, one where you don't have to lie, don't have to live in the shadows, one where you don't have to kill…I can give it to you, and the best part is all you have to do is walk away." Lelouch replied.

"W…walk away! But no one walks away from the Geass Cult, they send assassins for me!" Rollo replied, since he himself sometimes was used to hunt rogue geass users.

"Then we will just have to destroy them" Lelouch replied.

"D..destroy?" Rollo said his voice now shaky.

"Yes, if you wish to be free, you must break the chains and kill those that put them on you, and I will help you with that." Lelouch said to him.

"W..why would you do so much for me?" Rollo asked curious.

"Why? Because we are comrades who fought together, because I care about you, and because I thrust you." Lelouch said, he then lowered the gun and then deactivated the geass canceller and waited for Rollo's response.

"A…alright I will join you….big brother." Rollo said and at his reply Lelouch put his hand on Rollo's head and smothered his air which made both of them laugh.

"Alright, now listen we will go and destroy the Geass cult when we are ready, until then we must continue to feed false data to the OSI, OK?" Lelouch said to him, which Rollo agreed.

As they walked away Lelouch could not help but smile at is achievement, because unknown to Rollo Lelouch never deactivated his anti geass, it had a sort of false off switch and if Rollo would have refused Lelouch offer then Lelouch would have the power to kill him, but now with him he had the source of information which would destroy the geass cult.

"_The OSI is destroyed, the army will soon follow me, the nobles fear me and the people love me, all I have to do now is destroy the Geass cult and all of his shields will then fall, and then….and then I will know why you let mother die you old bastard… and as for you my brother in arm, you will serve me well and after that I will set you free….oh yes I will release you from this world"_ Lelouch thought to himself.

And if that was enough as they walked by the street a vendor was playing one of his records, it was from one of Mozart's opera's and Lelouch could not help but smile at the tune.

**Don Giovanni  
**(_porgendogli la mano_):

Eccola! Ohimé!

**Don Giovanni:**

Here it is!

_(He give the Statue his hand.)_

Oh me!

**La Statua:**

Cos'hai?

**The Statue:**

What is wrong?

**Don Giovanni:**

Che gelo è questo mai?

**Don Giovanni:**

What is this deadly chill?

**La Statua:**

Pentiti, cangia vita

È l'ultimo momento!

**The Statue:**

Repent! Change your ways,

For this is your last hour!

**Don Giovanni  
**(_vuol scoigliersi, ma invano_):

No, no, ch'io non mi pento,

Vanne lontan da me!

**Don Giovanni:**

_(Trying to free himself.)_

No, no , I will not repent.

Leave me be!

**La Statua:**

Pentiti, scellerato!

**The Statue:**

Repent, you scoundrel!

**Don Giovanni:**

No, vecchio infatuato!

**Don Giovanni:**

No, you old fool!

**La Statua:**

Pentiti!

**The Statue:**

Repent!

**Don Giovanni:**

No!

**Don Giovanni:**

No!

**La Statua:**

Sì!

**The Statue:**

Yes!

**Don Giovanni:**

No!

**Don Giovanni:**

No!

**La Statua:**

Ah! tempo più non v'è!

(Fuoco da diverse parti, il Commendatore sparisce, e s'apre

una voragine.)

**The Statue:**

Ah, your time is up!

_(The statue disappears. Flames surround Don Giovanni. )_

**(Ashford Academy, girl's bath)**

Shirley was in the bath and pondering on her relationship with Lelouch.

"Hey have you guys heard; I am going with Lelouch to the movies on the second." One girls said.

"I have a date with him on the sixth" another girls said, and another and another, needless to say that Shirley would no doubt give him a piece of her mind for his behavior when he returned, or smash a piece of his mind, whether it was the mind in the head or the one in the crouch area was not decided yet.

**(Several days later, the Slayers meeting place)**

"How's the situation on your front general Todoh?" Kaguya said through the communications screen to him.

"Yesterday we engaged and scattered the military junta's of Manchuria, with Xingke efforts in Tibet and Afghanistan I believe we can in a week have a stabilized the Former Chinese Federation." Todoh replied.

"We will in a few days time send emissaries to every E.U governor so we can begin negotiations for the E.U to join the U.F.N" Xingke said from his screen.

"That's good news to hear, also commander Ohgi is doing a good job at reorganizing the armed forces we now have at out disposition" Kaguya replied.

For all Ohgi's lack of tactical or strategically skills he made them up with the ability to organize just about anything possible, he wasn't a leader, but there was little doubt in Kaguya's or anyone else's mind that he was a superb subordinate.

**(E.U council room)**

Philippe Petain was in a meeting with the parliament to determine the course of the war

"With China now in chaos after the coup and the effects of our involvement in that affair our side's fortunes have changed drastically, we are no longer wining this war and our sea blockade of the Empire has been shattered" Admiral Stevens said to those present.

"Also with the lack of trade with Asia from the civil war that is raging, the loss of China as an ally and General Darlton's defense of Asia Minor, our supply lines and economy is starting to feel the effect, we are now being pushed back on all fronts" he added.

"The lack of military victories has also fostered great anti-war sentiment within the E.U, that and combined with our recent need to impose a draft bill is making us go through the same situation the Empire went through during the Vietnam War." Goebbels' the minister of internal affairs said to those assembled.

"Gentleman with how things are progressing, I suggest we attempt talks to end hostilities with the Empire, the way things are going we will lose this war" Chamberlain the minister of the defense added and the majority of those present agreed.

"We will do no such thing." Petain said startling those assembled.

"We may be on the defensive but let me remind you that we still have armies and we still have resources, if we back down now then history will remember this as the time when the Empire defeated us, we cannot lose this war!" he added.

"But you're Excellency this war is already lost, we have limited resources, we cannot go on the offensive to recapture ground and the Empire does not need to go on the offensive, all they have to do is hold on to Asia Minor and if they succeed we will lose, I see no point in prolonging the inevitable" Roosevelt the minister of economy added.

At this Philippe looked at him angrily, the thing about presidents was that they had few years of power, which unlike kings meant that if you made one big blunder, you did not have time to correct it, history would remember him as the man who led the E.U to defeat, he would be another president Wilhelm de Hohenzollern, he could not let that happen, he will not let that happen!

"On that you have a point, but let me remind you that the Empire also has even fever resources than we have from fighting China and us at the same time, as a matter of fact if this continues we will win a war of attrition." Pétain said to them.

"Sir, let me remind you that both the Empire and the new Organization created by Kaguya and Xingke have started talk with the individual countries of the E.U to get them to join their respective sides, I am afraid that various states will join them." Boris Yeltzin the minister of foreign affairs told them.

"True, but let me remind you of the Empire's most prominent weakness, they're ego! With the accomplishment of Lelouch, Schneizell, Darlton and Cornelia they think themselves invincible, and like the old aristocracies of old if we insult them they will risk everything, even victory to make sure their 'reputation' and 'honor' remain intact, if we back down now they will win, if we prolong we will win, we do not have the resources to go on the offensive, but neither do they…"

"…So as you see if this works we will win this war and this presidency will not be remembered as the one that lost the war" he added.

"_This plan seems sound, but if it fails this presidency will not be remembered as the one who lost the war, but the one who will have lost the E.U."_ Roosevelt said to himself and hoped he was wrong.

**(Outskirts of Tokyo)**

Lelouch and his army where on their way to the Tokyo, the reason was that the government facility there was built for rebuilding armies and what made him stop his army a few miles short of the city was the fact that he heard noise coming from it.

Just then one of his aides, Major Pendleton which he had sent to scout ahead went returned.

"Well major what's going on, are they rioting?" Lelouch asked concerned for his friends at Ashford and Euphie and Nunnally.

"Rioting? No sir! They got the word that you and you're army was returning to the city today and they lined up to see you, they are on both sides of the street and wait for your army to parade right through there!" the major happily told his commander.

"A parade huh?" Lelouch said to himself now certain that only Diethard could slip the information that they were returning today to Tokyo, and he was also equally certain that the slip was intentional.

"Well if it's a parade they want, then it's a parade they will have! George get the horses from the mobile stables, Jeremiah have the troops properly aligned and have them take of their helmets and eye shields, I want the world to know who the Black Knight really are, Viletta have the wounded placed in open cars, they are the real hero's of this war and deserve to be seen" Lelouch said and they all complied.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_Everyone who served under him became a soldier, every soldier who served under him became a champion, and so to us it did not matter us if tomorrow the odds spelled disaster, as long as the Old Man was with us we knew we would win, we were prepared for anything, except for what we would encounter in Tokyo upon our return from India…" _

"…_..When entering the city where were stunned at the reception we received, the Japanese ghetto's which surrounded the settlement could not be called ghetto's anymore, they had been entirely rebuilt and the only major difference between the Japanese district and the brittannian one was the fact that the writing changed"_

"_People where gathered along the road as we entered the city, Japanese and Brittannian's where to our surprise mixed together and they were waving our flag and cheering us as we entered, my division and regiments the 501__st__ and the 761__st__ wild wolves, where sort of celebrities among the Black Knights, the Wild Wolves where Patton's always forward boys and considered the finest in the army and the 501__st__ on the field had the official function of being the Prince's royal guard, so when it was our turn to enter the city the cheers intensified to such a degree that it some of us where startled like artillery shells exploded in front of us"_

"_I myself was trying my best to keep marching forward and avoid being distracted by the crowd so as to not impede the formation, just then a young woman managed to break through the police which was manning the crowd and she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a very fiery kiss…..after she broke it my heart stopped beating when I realized that the woman in question was a Brittannian woman, and believe me you did not have to remind me of the penalty for a number to look at a woman like that, let alone touch her"_

"_The formation stopped because of that incident and two police officers came up to me, for a moment I thought that I was going to get beaten by them, but to my surprise they took the woman off me and said the following:"_

"_Sorry about the inconvenience sergeant sir" and he saluted._

"_No trouble at all sir!" I said and saluted back, my military training kicked in and the parade continued._

"_The Iron Prince, road out on his horse just a few feet in front of me, looking at him I could not help but burst into tears at the sheer happiness I felt from following him, he had given us back our lives, our pride and had even made us hero's and led us to victory and glory, we the Black Knights where the strongest, most feared and most renowned field army in the Empire, if not the world, we still hated the empire for the sins of the past, but we loved people like The Field Marshall, Princess Euphemia and Princess Nunnally, if every member of the monarchy was like them, then there would be no trouble at all, we would fight, and if necessary die for leaders like that"_

""_To me a former number, who was treated as a second class citizen, which was only a bit better than a slave, the cheers of the Brittannian's was what shocked me to the core, when we enlisted to serve under the Iron Prince our entire communities rejected us, saying we sold our souls to the devil, and now today, we the slaves of the Empire, where it's heroes, I wished that everyone who badmouthed us and told us we were wrong was present so I could rubbed in that they where the one's wrong"_

"_The Prince's was holding his helmet in his arm and he saluted the crowds left and right with a glare from his face and waves of his hand and a small smile from his face"_

"_The look on his face was of that not off a boy his age of not twenty, but of one of a man who looked like he knew the answer to any obstacles, so calmed and so milled, yet it gave a presence which made us impose on him our respect and devotion"_

_Recently gazetted Sergeant First Class Infantry Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights_

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan_

**(Lelouch position, parade route)**

Lelouch, Suzaku, Jeremiah, Viletta, Patton and Omar where all in front of the 501st, most of them were riding in jeeps, except for Lelouch and Suzaku who where in front of the jeeps riding their horses.

As the parade moved by he saw that some of the assembled crowd had note books, he guessed it was for autographs, so he suddenly stopped his horse, dismounted and went to sign autographs, needless to say the upon seeing this the crowd all gathered around him to try and get autographs.

The other also joined in giving autographs upon seeing this.

"Do you sign anything?" one pretty young noble- woman asked him.

"Yes, what would you like me to sign?" Lelouch replied, he could not see a note book, or a hat or something on the sorts on her and was genualy curious of what she wanted him to sign.

"OHHHH!" The crowd said as she took of her shirt and told him what to sign.

"Can you sign my breasts?" the young girl asked.

Lelouch just froze for a moment before he regained his composure and answered:

"S…sure, w…what is your name miss?" he asked hesitantly.

"Bridgette Cocoria your highness" she replied with glee.

"Very well then, to Bi…Bridgette Cocoria signed Lelouch vi Brittannia!" he said as he signed her breasts.

"_For God's sake I almost wrote Big Coconuts on her tits!" _he thought to himself and that was a true statement, for she had very big breasts.

After that she went to join her friends who along with her were part of some kind of fan club of Lelouch's, and upon seeing their friend's accomplishment, the other which where about 15 of them approached him for the same reason and all took of their shirts,…..and Lelouch dropped his pen upon seeing this, he had nerves of steel, but under great strain even the strongest steel gives away.

"I love it. God help me I do love it so. I love it more than my life! I love being a Black Knight!" Patton whispered to Bradley and the others, but they too where to stunned to respond.

After some 'unforeseen obstacles' they arrived at the government facility, where to Lelouch's surprise Nunnally and Euphie where on its steps waiting for him, Lelouch walked up the steps along with his Lieutenants and they all received the Imperial Medal of Valor, the highest honor a soldier could receive.

But when he got to Lelouch, Schneizell presented to him a different sort of metal.

"This metal is unique in this world, for I doubt there is another commander like you in this world Field Marshall, the words on it is in ancient Celtic and it reads : _the lions_**in**_their den's tremble_**at my approach"**Schneizell said to him and he pinned the medal on his, much to the crowds cheer.

**(Government facility, banquet hall)**

Lelouch and the other, along with Schneizell, Euphie and Nunnally where all having a little celebratory dinner.

"You want me to take command of all the armies of the Empire!" Lelouch said in astonishment.

"Yes, I am afraid that with Cornelia still wandering about wherever she is, things have not been the same, and I would appreciate it if you would take the job, and with it I will throw in the Title of Grand Marshall" Schneizell replied.

"That is a tempting offer brother, can you assure me that for my services I will be rendered adequate payment?" Lelouch asked.

To any other person it sounded like he was talking about salary, but to Schneizell he understood that Lelouch had subtly told him that if he takes the job Schneizell must support him in an endeavor, and he was sure it meant full legal and practical manumission for the numbers.

"That depends on your performance" Schneizell replied, which was in itself not an unreasonable demand, if Lelouch said yes and did a good job, then he would get Schneizell's support, and even if Schneizell didn't support him, the power that comes from leading a country to victory would allow him to reach that goal on his own.

"I accept then, but there will be opposition from naming me as supreme commander" Lelouch replied

"You make it sound like disgruntled nobles isn't music to your ears." Schneizell replied and both shared a chuckle.

"So Grand Marshall what is your strategy?" Schneizell asked him.

"The E.U is now at its lowest point of power, one more successful big battle and it will collapse, after that the world will be divided between pro-Brittannian's and those who join Kaguya's Slayers, as for my plans regarding her, we will built that bridge when the rives appears." Lelouch replied and it was a satisfying answer, preparations were good, but there was a fine line between caution and paranoia.

**Meanwhile….**

**(Euphie's room)**

Suzaku was dragged by Euphie to her room, she had the intend to show him the kimono she had bought a year ago, needleless to say Suzaku was very nervous since he was now alone with Euphie in her room.

"Sorry to keep you waiting" Euphie said and she emerged from the dresser, she was wearing a white kimono with a cherry tree red petal blossoms images imprinted into it for decoration, to say she looked beautiful would be an understatement, to Suzaku she was breathtaking.

"Well what do you think?" Euphie said to him.

"It looks…great Euphie." He said blushing heavily.

At this Euphie smiled and said the following.

"By the way would you mind helping me with my sash? I think I didn't tie it tight enough" she said and got close to Suzaku and turned around.

Suzaku was working on her sash and from the proximity, the beauty of Euphie and the dress and the perfume she wore he was about to burst, he tried at best to control himself, to use the years of military discipline he acquired at West Point to calm himself…..

"There you go Euphie" he said hesitantly and she happily turned around and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, smiled and said "Thank you".

….And that was when all of his military discipline went down the toilet, at this all he could do was give into his desire and he bent down and gave her a kiss, and another and another….

…**..four hours latter**

Suzaku was in bed and he was exhausted, he remembered having to fight all day and all night, how he managed to stay awake when whole armies collapsed from exhaustion, but now he was bushed, and the pink haired cause of his exhaustion was lying naked in bed her arms wrapped around him.

Both where trying to get to sleep.

"_I remember sleeping with girls which were like tidal wave in beds, but this was like riding a tsunami, if shy girls are wild in bed than Euphie must be the shiest of them all!_ "Suzaku thought to himself as he fell asleep.

He remembered about Cornelia's threat of torture if he touched Euphie, but if Euphie and himself where going to have sex like this often then he would die from exhaustion before Cornelia could reach him.

"_The tips Miss C.C gave me probed to work 100%! I really hope brother chooses her as his wife or at least one of them!" _Euphie though in her head and she felt into a very satisfied slumber

And so the night rolled on and for everyone the future seemed bright:

Lelouch became one of the most powerful men in the empire.

Euphie and Suzaku became a full time couple.

Kaguya was building her the U.F.F

And the E.U. despite facing disaster still had the hope and prospect of victory.

There was hope for a bright future

A hope, such a pure and grand emotion, than one cursed thing which makes us go forward even when we see only darkness in front of us.

Tomorrow the storm would come, but tonight there was some measure of peace.

**Author's note:**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue.**


	39. Turn XIII: Love is in the air…

Turn XIII: Love is in the air…and I forgot my gas mask.

**(Ashford academy)**

**A weeks latter**

Lelouch and Suzaku had just entered the hallways and were looking forward to some nice peace and relaxation.

"Hey Suzaku, whatever training it is you're doing you should cut it back, it's to exhausting even for you, Euphie pushing you to hard" Lelouch said to him.

"Eh…well…I'd like but my personal trainer,…well she feels unwanted if I try to avoid it" Suzaku replied blushing heavily.

"Look, I understand that, but it's too much, why this morning at breakfast when we had soup you fell asleep and almost drowned in your soup bowl!"

"Incredible! You the man who cut down the hordes of China, sliced the Legions of Europe, chased down Kaguya's Taliban wanabe's was about to be D.B.S" Lelouch replied.

"D.B.S? What's that Dragon Ball Super?" Suzaku asked curious.

"No! Death by soup!" Lelouch replied frustrated

"Just what the hell kind of training you do anyway?" Lelouch asked.

"Well…..horse riding" Suzaku hesitantly replied.

"Horse riding! Well she must be one hell of a mare for you to get so exhausted from riding her" Lelouch replied and he knew that horse riding wasn't as easy as it seemed.

"Yes she is…..she likes getting rode, and she can ride me for hours at a time….and she feels lonely when I am not around….." Suzaku said to Lelouch, good thing Lelouch knew that he wasn't talking about a horse

*Click*

The sound of a camera was heard and both look to see Anya dressed in a school uniform.

"Hello…Lelouch-kun, Suzaku-kun" she replied

"Yo, we have been waiting for ya, the two of us are now student's here" Gyno replied coming from a open door with Rivals and Millie behind them.

"_Gyno and Anya here!...well at least nothing else is going to ruin me and Suzaku's break" Lelouch thought to himself._

**(Government building)**

"Massive armies…. leading a country to war I can handle…but this!" Lelouch said as Nunnally just told him about what she unwillingly did.

"Well a lot of girls where asking about you and in accordance with your character brother…" Nunnally said blushing heavily.

"No, that's not my character!" he replied shocked at what his sister told him.

"Nunnally! This schedule!" Lelouch said as he looked over one which Sayoko just gave him.

"Assuming three hours of sleep, I have made appointments with 108 ladies, fourteen of them are and standby. Dates are on a six month wait list…." Sayoko trailed off

**The next day…**

"Let us go over today's schedule, then…7:00 you will be having a home-made bento.

9:00 you will have a date at the museum

10:30 you will be shopping.

12:00 you will arrive at the government facility airport.

From there you will use the Shinkiro as transport, I have prepared your clothing inside your cockpit.

15:00 you will arrive in Pendragon to hear the report of the other generals and receive data about the empire's armies.

When you return here at Ashford at 21:00 you will be watching a late movie showing

"Then, you have a date at 24:02 in front of the live house.

After that…."

**24:04**

"He's late!" Shirley said angrily.

And in the shadows like a character out of a Looney Tunes shorts he was sneaking around her.

"Sorry, Shirley. I promise I will make some time for an explanation latter" Lelouch said to himself.

"Playboy *Click*" Anya replied suddenly appearing in front of him.

"_What the? How does she do that? Is she Speedy Gonzales or something like that?"_ he thought to himself.

"Lelouch-senpai!" Gyno said suddenly appearing next to him, which made Lelouch stutter and fall on his butt.

"_And here's Foghorn Leghorn"_ he thought to himself.

"W-What is it?" he asked.

"Take me to the chest places you used to visit. The one where you gamble in the underground society!" Gyno added.

"When I told him you and I used to go and he said he wanted to go" Rivals replied.

"_Ah ,Sylvester cat! Still trying to catch Tweedy I see!"_ Lelouch thought to himself.

"Rivals, you…" Lelouch said in frustration.

Just then Lelouch heard the screams of the various girls he had dates with as they ran towards him.

"G..Give me a break already!" Lelouch said and he ran away from them.

"_Ah great! I'm Road Runner and here are the Coyote and his friends"_ he said to himself as he ran away from them.

After a few moments of running Lelouch was stopped by someone who shoved him back.

"What the! Who is it? You didn't have to shove me….Shirley" He said as he raised his head to look at her

"_Oh no…I'm not Road Runner, I am Penelope Pussycat, and I just bumped into Pepe LE Pew!" _Lelouch thought to himself.

"And who will you be meeting with now?" Shirley responded angrily

"You've just graduated from a gambler, to a womanizer…You're so pathetic" Shirley replied as she threaten to start crying.

"Wait let me explain…Ah, right, here as an apology for not explaining myself properly" Lelouch said as he handed her a dress he bought.

"Apology? You're going to use some material item to take care of your kiss and kiss plague which you unleashed upon me!" Shirley angrily yanked the dress from his hand.

"You. Misunderstand! I just wanted to apologies for that little slip!"

"So you regret kissing me that much!" Shirley replied even angrier.

"W..Wait…" Lelouch said as Shirley threatened to start pounding him.

"Look over here!" Millie said from the balcony.

"_And here's Bugs Bunny" _Lelouch thought to himself.

"I've made my decision on my graduation event. The name's Cupid Day" she added.

"Graduation this time of the year?" Gyno asked curious.

"Well I stayed an extra year, so only know I got enough credits" she replied.

"On that day, all students will be wearing this hat. And if you can grab your target's hat and put it on..Under my executive orders, the two of you will be forced to become a couple!"

EHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Everyone present said

And after a few moments the girls all looked with devilish eye's at Lelouch.

"W..wait a minute Millie that is going to far! As the eleventh prince and 17th in line for succession and Field Marshall in the army I order you to seize and desists!" Lelouch told her.

"Well it's true that you have all that power, but….since you are a student in the Academy, I have power over you since I am in this school your superior!" She replied and Lelouch much to his horror realized it was true….he then looked around and saw the gazes upon him.

And then the horrible truth fell upon him.

It was like they were saying the following for tomorrow.

**Please say you'll be my Valentine,  
No other girl is half so fine!**

And if you won't, I'll start a fight!  
I'll scream, I'll moan,  
I'll frown, I'll bite!  
I'll growl, I'll hoot!

Don't see it my way?  
Then I'll embarrass you dear,  
On Valentine's day!

"_I'm not Road Runner, nor Penelope Pussycat, I am that one character who always loses, who always is the punch line….Daffy Duck….I AM DAFFY DUCK!" _Lelouch screamed in his head.

"_I should have known better Bugs Bunny never loses against Daffy Duck"_ he thought to himself.

**The next day….**

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your President for the last day Millie Ashford, speaking."

"My graduation event, Cupid's Day, shall begin soon"

"A! you need to be at least two meters away from your target, okay?" She said over the speakers.

Lelouch was surrounded by his class girls and he had his back to a window.

"_Lulu, no matter how much of a failure you are as a person….No, exactly because you are a failure as a person, I need to straighten you out!"_ Shirley thought to herself.

"We all know the rules. You just need to grab your target's hat, put it on, and the two of you will be forced to become a couple. There are no restrictions to the method. You can form teams, use gadgets, everything is okay, then before we begin I must say something…."

"….Whoever grabs Lelouch Lamperouge's, aka Filed Marshall Lelouch vi Britannia's hat from 3-D and brings it to me, I shall increase your club's budget by tenfold!" Millie said over the speakers

"WHAT!" lulu said

"Lulu's?" Shirley added confused.

"P-President.." Rivals said now weeping.

Upon hearing this the entire school students ran to Lelouch's class.

The girls in Lelouch's class started going towards him, when they were stopped when they heard him laughing

"Ha ha ha, Playing dirty tricks with me until the very end will you! Very well Millie, let's play then" he said, he then opened the window and jumped out of it

"Lulu!" Shirley said ah she rushed to view where he had fallen, only to calm down when she saw that some Black Knights with a fireman's trampoline where there to catch him.

"Thank you for your assistance, Jeremiah, sorry to have your and the other members of my royal guard squad come here like this" Lelouch told them.

"No problem at all my lord, besides just how much trouble can some girls be?" Jeremiah replied.

Just then they felt the ground tremble slightly and they saw a horde of girls running towards them riding towards them.

"Sir, get out of here, we will take care of them!" Jeremiah replied and he hesitantly went.

Jeremiah and the other had riot gear and shields and they formed a triangle formation, to intercept them.

"Today no Black Knight dies!" Jeremiah said to his men as they braced for impact…..

"AWHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the Black Battle cry was heard….

….and they were immediately trampled by the girls.

"Oooooooo…..so this is what happens when the Iron Prince isn't with us" one members of the guards said.

"My Lord….I….die for you" Jeremiah said and he fainted from the trample.

"Come and get me girls!" Gyno said as he was being chased by some female students, he was having the time of his life.

**Another part of the Academy…**

"Lord Jeremiah and the guards have been disabled!" Suzaku said to Lelouch over the phone.

"They're a bit bruised but they should be alright, send over some medics here" Lelouch replied.

"Should I come over?" Suzaku asked.

"You just stay where you are and help Lloyd with the tuning of the Lancelot's, we will be leaving for a special black ops mission soon and I want those things ready in two days time" Lelouch replied and he closed the phone.

Just then he senesced that somebody was sneaking up behind him, and he quickly turned around and grabbed the hand that tried to snatch his hat.

"Sorry Miah-kun it's a force of habit I picked up on the battle field" she said to the startled girl.

"Ehhhh, I was so close to!" she said and gave him a 'please let me get your hat look'.

"No, means no" he replied to her now dismayed.

He then walked away to his old apartment in Ashford where he switched places with Sayoko who was disguised as Lelouch.

…..

"Huh? Lelouch disappeared?" Millie said from her command booth.

"Yes, according to the gardening club's report.." her subordinate asked.

"This is the rugby club, we have found Lelouch at point KT-01." The captain said

"Alright! Calling all Ashford Academy club members! Encircle the area around the boy's dorm and the courtyard !" Millie said.

"Sir, yes sir!" the replied.

Millie then sat down pleased with herself, and the realization of what she was doing struck her.

""_I am fighting Lelouch in strategy and tactics…I am facing off against the Niddhog!" _ Millie said to herself and if she got his hat, she would be the first to beat him.

**Courtyard**

"The budget increase belongs to the rugby club!" the captain said as the club charged Sayoko who was disguised as Lelouch.

"Farewell, oh unworthy foes!" Sayoko said as she jumped over them.

"Sayoko, stop saying those weird things!"

"My personality will be suspected!" Lelouch replied.

"Forgive me, it just came out" Sayoko replied.

"And don't go back to the entrance, Millie has concentrated her forces there" Lelouch replied

"Lelouch's movements are weird?" Millie asked.

"Yes sir, I've never seen him move like this! No wonder this guy is a Field Marshall!" one of the club captains replied.

"Looks like he just got serious. Archery club and equestrian club, round about the side of the hall!" Millie ordered.

"Take a detour from the schoolhouse and head for the second gymnasium. In front of you should be enemy forces in the form of the chemistry club" Lelouch ordered Sayoko.

Sayoko ran where she was instructed.

"Fire!" the club captain said as soon as they saw Sayoko.

"Impossible! Damn Lelouch!" the captain said as Sayoko dodged the fireworks and jumped over the chemistry club members.

"She's going way too overboard no matter how you look at it. But Sayoko is a candid person, so giving her orders now is useless… can't be helped, oh well might as well make the best of it" Lelouch said to himself.

"Fantasy seduction club to the front!" Millie ordered throwing in her trump card.

"Lelouch is a boy, too" one member said

"He'll show an opening to us" another member said.

"Female bodies have no power over me!" Sayoko said to the surprised girls as she jumped over them.

"The president's completely in play mode now" Shirley said as she heard Millie give orders.

"But..what's going on? I though Lulu became a worthless person, and now he's an athletic person…"she added.

"President! If you desire it I, Rivals Cardemonde, will even offer you….my best friend Lelouch." Rivals said, just then a shadow fell over him.

"That's not fair!" he said as he saw the Mordred above him had just entered the game.

"It is" Anya replied over the speakers.

**(Government facility)**

"Mordred sortied?" Suzaku said to the courier.

"Is it the Slayers? " Guilford asked

"Urgent Notice for all government personal, DEFCON 2, repeat DEFCON 2, all units sortie" the speakers announced to the garrison.

**(Ashford Academy)**

"I was careless. To think that Anya didn't have any common sense either…Guess it's time for us to switch again. Sayoko move to the study room" Lelouch ordered.

"There?" Anya said as she chased Sayoko.

**(Study room)**

"This was where Lelouch started acting strange…" Shirley said as she looked around.

"Miss Shirley showing up with such timing?" Sayoko said to herself as she watched Shirley from her hidden position.

Anya using her heat source detector then reached through the window to grab one of the signatures which was Shirley.

"Watch out!" Lelouch said as he grabbed Shirley and they both rolled out of the way of the Mordred's hand.

"What are you doing Anya; people could get hurt like this!" Lelouch angrily said to her.

"Did I do something bad?" Anya calmly asked.

"Yes you did" Lelouch replied.

"I am sorry" she replied.

**Meanwhile…**

"Hey Lulu…" Shirley asked.

"Why did you reject me at the opera, and why did you kiss me at Lloyd-san's lad?" Shirley asked.

"Cause I am a playboy…just like you said.." Lelouch said at this point deciding that it would be best to put things to rest once and for all.

"That's not true" Shirley replied and chuckled.

"No! That's not true….I am…." Lelouch tried to find the right words.

Shirley upon seeing this only gave a small chuckle as she was the first to see Britannia's number one strategist without a move.

"Say, do you want to do the stuff after the kiss, too?" Shirley asked him

"I'm fine even if it wasn't a genuine kiss"

"No that's wrong!" Lelouch replied.

"Back to the usual Lulu now" Shirley happily told him.

"Eh?" he said.

"Lulu, you haven't been yourself lately" Shirley said to him.

Lelouch led out a breath of defeat knowing that he had finally been beaten, his mask was shattered and once that happened the truth came out.

"The truth is, I am a horrible person… I lie…cheat…steal, and if there's no other choice I kill…that's the kind of life the 'Iron Prince' leads, I was afraid of dragging you into that world, I thought that if I rejected you or acted irresponsible, you'd fall for it and give up.." he replied.

"It's okay, I forgive you. But in exchange I want you to close your eyes" Shirley told him.

Lelouch hesitantly replied.

Shirley placed her palms on Lelouch's face…and after a moment pinched his cheeks.

"You thought I was going to kiss you, didn't you?" Shirley said with a smile and released his cheeks.

"Ah,uhmm….as a probability event…" he tried to defend himself.

"Lulu, you pervert!" Shirley jokingly said.

"No, I!..." Lelouch tried to defend himself, but was cut off by Shirley.

"But someday, I'll make you fall in love with me." Shirley said as she grabbed both hats and exchanged them.

**Outside..**

"You guys really over reacted, nothing has happened here, commotions like this happen often in this school" Gyno said to the armed forces that were at the Academy's entrance.

"The end result's was kind of obvious" one student said as him and a collective looked at Lelouch's and Shirley.

**Skies above the academy.**

"What has all this commotion been about?" Guilford asked Suzaku, both men were in their knightmares.

"Sorry, it seems to have just been the President's graduation event" Suzaku replied happy that it was just that.

"Lelouch it seems like you finally got the point" Millie said to them.

"This was why you planned the event?" Shirley asked her.

"I was getting impatient with you guys. Keep wasting time like that and your time as students will be over" Millie replied.

"I am afraid that to me it's already over" Lelouch replied and this startled the crowd.

"What do you mean Lelouch?" Rivals asked.

Just then Suzaku, landed his Lancelot next to Lelouch, since Lelouch beeped him to come pick him up after the hat exchange.

Suzaku then got out of the Lancelot to meet everybody.

"Well the ceremony is suppose to be a few days from now, but I suppose I can tell you all…..I have been given the rank of Grand Marshall and the command of all the armies of the Empire, with that much work load I am afraid that I simply don't have time for school anymore so I came here a few days ago to enjoy my final tenure here….after this….after this it's 'Over the Hills and far away' for me and Suzaku over here permanently permanent" Lelouch replied and this saddened everyone present.

"You've got to be kidding me, first we lose the president and now Suzaku and Lelouch too, and this place won't be the same without you!" Rivals said dismayed.

"Can't be helped" Millie said and with this she flung her hat in the air and said:

"With this one road ends and another begins!"

"HURAHHHHHHHHHHH!" they all said

**(Sometime latter Lelouch's ceremony, Ashford Academy school grounds)**

The archbishop of New Canterbury came to Japan to host the ceremony, behind Lelouch Black Squadron his personal bodyguards on the field had formed a walkway, as was tradition.

Behind Black squadron the entire students of Ashford where assembled, TV camera's where broadcasting it to the world

Lelouch kneeled before the archbishop, and he said the traditional prayer.

"May your enemies route before you, may your armies be victorious, and may God bless you and keep you safe on the Field, this man before is now the heir of Wellington , the Third Grand Marshall!" the archbishop said and Lelouch got up.

Lelouch went to his friends and as he got there his brain automatically started playing an old song he was taught at West Point

**Here's forty shillings on the drum  
For those who'll volunteer to come  
To 'list and fight the foe today.  
Over the hills and far away.  
**

"Rivals sneaking with you to go gambling was perhaps the most fun I ever had in my life, I promise that we will go again whenever I can make time available" Lelouch said and he hugged him and shook his hand, Rivals was now on the brink of crying.

**O'er the hills and o'er the main.  
Through Flanders, Portugal and Spain.  
King George commands and we obey.  
Over the hills and far away.  
**

"Millie, you made my life here a merry go round, and although at some point it annoyed me to no end, I must say that if I could start over I would happily go through all of your crazy events again" Lelouch said and she hugged her. "**  
**

**When duty calls me I must go  
To stand and face another foe.  
But part of me will always stray  
Over the hills and far away. **

Shirley I have to say there are few women like you…even after finding out I was a prince, you didn't try to please me, you didn't always said I am right, you continued to act as you did normally...and for this I thank you Shirley…I thank you for seeing who I am, and now what I am" Lelouch said to a now very flushed Shirley.

****

O'er the hills and o'er the main.  
Through Flanders, Portugal and Spain.  
King George commands and we obey.  
Over the hills and far away.  


Lelocu then turned to the student's assembled and said: "I want to thank you all for the times I spent with you for the memories, and I want you all to know that no matter where I go, what I become, I in my heart will always be Vice-President of the Student Council, pupil in class 3-d…I will always be Lelouch Lamperouge of Ashford Academy." He said and they all let out a cheer, well the boys did, the girls cried because he was leaving.

He then turned to Jeremiah, Suzaku, Kewell, Villetta , Odysseus, Kuribayashi ,George and Omar.

The Sarmizegetusa was a few douzen meeter parked from the entrence and they all made their way towards it.

They knew that a great battle was drawing near, and who lived who died was anybodies guess, but for now they marched towards the hsip, towards tomorrom.

**If I should fall to rise no more,  
As many comrades did before,  
Then ask the fifes and drums to play.  
Over the hills and far away.  
**

Outside the Academy a crowd had gathered to watch them and cheered as they saw them apraoched the ship.

When Lelouch was about to board it, he stoped turned to the assembled crowd and said:

„The send off you have given me today is perhaps the greatest preasant i have ever receive, and i humbelly thank you from the bootom of my heart" to witch the corwd respodned with even greater cheer.

**Then fall in lads behind the drum,  
With colours blazing like the sun.  
Along the road to come-what may.  
Over the hills and far away.**

**O'er the hills and o'er the main.  
Through Flanders, Portugal and Spain.  
King George commands and we obey.  
Over the hills and far away.**

And so they boarded the ship and it took of..toward the unknown, toward tomorrow, towards the land which was Over the Hills and far away'.

**Author's note Read and Review.**

**Let me know if I should continue.**


	40. Turn XIV: Atero Dominatus

Turn XIV: Atero Dominatus.

"…_..Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: __**bread and circuses"**_

_Excerpt from the Satire X, by roman poet Juvenal._

**(E.U Front)**

An orgy of fire and lead filled the air as the 8th army now with fresh reinforcements, courtesy of Lelouch had begun its final push from Asia Minor and towards Cairo, Istanbul and Moscow itself.

"Sir, completeness of General Wigberry, they have begun their assault on Bosporus and are encountering heavy resistance, also General Picard has managed to break through the outer defenses and has now entered Istanbul" one of Darlton aides told his commander.

"Well since they are pushing hard, we as the main body of this army must work even more than them if we are to break through to Moscow, tell Danport to begin demonstrations on the left flank, and tell Granger to get his men ready to move out at a moment's notice" Darlton said to him and he mentally reviewed Lelouch's grand strategy for dealing the death blow to the E.U.

The first phase of the plan called for a general offensive on their part to make the E.U deploy their forces to the front

**(Sarmizegetusa command bridge)**

"E.T.A until arrival 30 minutes commander" one of Lelouch's officers informed him.

"Very well! Tell the squadrons to prepare for operations." Lelouch replied and he went to the hangar to enter the Shinkiro.

"_Darlton's doing great in Anatolia, now it is up to us to initiate phase two, if all goes well we will be victorias with minimal bloodshed and if not…well at least we can say we tried" _Lelouch thought to himself as he gripped his king chess piece in anticipation for battle.

**(Tokyo government bureau)**

Euphie was in charge now in her office, Nunnally currently wasin Kyushu overseeing it's reconstruction, just then her intercom buzzed.

"Forgive me my Lady but there is a group of students from Lord Lelouch's and sir Kururugi's school which desire and audience with you" the secretary said.

"Who is their ring leader?" Euphie innocently asked.

"A certain Millie Ashford" the secretary replied.

"Very well let them in" Euphie replied and a few moments latter Millie, Rivals and Shirley entered the door.

"We thank you for receiving us your highness." Millie said and she made a bow of respect and went to shake hands with Euphie.

Just then as they shook hands Euphie had a strange sensation go up her arm and her mind flashbacked to a warning Lelouch gave her.

"_Alright Euphie listen up, if the air all of a sudden becomes hard to breath, if the ground feels shake, if the room feels small and confined and IF THE HEAVENS BURST OPEN WITH SOUNDS OF ANGEL'S TRUMPETS AND DEMON'S HORNS AND THE SKIES DARKENS AS THE WORLD IS ENGULFED IN FLAMES IT MEAN THE FOLLOWING:…."_

"_Does it mean Armageddon has arrived?" Euphie asked now a bit frightened._

"…_.No, it just means Millie has one of her crazy ideas in her head and you are a part of it" Lelouch replied a bit traumatized from his own experience with Millie._

**End of flashback…..**

"We'll Miss Ashford what do you wish to discuss with me?" Euphie said and to this Millie grinned her trademark Cheshire cat grin before speaking

**(Russian embassy, Chinese Federation)**

Vladimir Putin the Russian governor was currently in a meeting with the representatives of the Slayers and the Chinese Federation

"So will your country join the U.F.N if the E.U looses this war?" Xingke asked him.

"General Xingke I feel I should tell you that the Empire has also made us an offer: We will retain our rights and be given the right to select our Governor and viceroy by vote of the heads of army and major industries, we will retain the right to self govern if we only provide financial resources and human resource to their armies" Vladimir replied.

"Those are generous terms coming from the Empire, but surely you're government knows that in truth you will have no power to decide your fate, while in the U.F.N you will have." Kaguya replied.

"That may is true…..but it does not matter which the type of the system we choose, only it's results" Vladimir replied.

"What do you mean?" Ohgi asked concerned.

"We are witnessing a pivotal moment in history, the world was divided into three systems, a republican federation, a democratic union, and an autocratic empire, the Chinese Federation which had a council based ruling system did not have true unity, it was more a collection of states and because of that the council did not have a leader to warn them of corruption and it collapsed on itself,…..my system the E.U did have a leader, but the leader elected is usually the one which has the most backing in the campaigns and the best liar….not necessarily the best skills for the job, and so the E.U. is in poor management and is starting to crack, but the empire…..oh the empire has remained strong, it has remained unified, and if has stayed it course to power and glory" Vladimir replied.

"But at what cost! The many are subjugated to the whim of the few, is that the kind of world you wish your children and grandchildren to grow up into?" Kaguya retorted.

"Lady Kaguya, are you saying that only in Brittannia the masses are subjugated to the will of the Elite?" Vladimir asked and at which Kaguya could not say yes, in any society there where peasants and nobles with the power of life and death…even if they weren't called that way anymore.

"I thought so, and like what I stated earlier, the type of system does not matter, it only matters that it works, the Empire' system works, the system you are forming is similar to the E.U's also the members of your new senate will be formed from states of the Federation and the Union, ….it will be a collection of leaders who could not even keep their own countries stable, if not prosperous, and you are asking my country to join something like this?" Vladimir asked with a small scowl on his face.

"So you will condemn your people to being slaves of the Empire just so you could be on the winning team?" Xingke asked him

At this Vladimir closed his eyes, took of his glasses and rubbed his forehead in frustration from the heavy burden he has on his shoulders, one man to decide the fate of 400 million.

"It is easy for you to talk when the Slayers and China have an Ocean separating them from the Armies of the Empire, when to Russia, Darlton is cutting though Anatolia, Schneizell a few day ago landed in France and the Garrison in Alaska crossed the Bring straight and are now in Kamchatka,…..also our spies have told us that the Iron Prince has disappeared and you all know that when that happens it means bad busyness for his enemies, which unfortunately is what Russia is now…" Vladimir said and he paused to catch his breath before continuing.

"….**Hannibal ad portas,** and unfortunately it is our gates he is at….the gates of the E.U may or may not fall, but if it does fall then we will let the Russian people decide who to join" Vladimir added and then got up from his chair and said his final statement:

"If they choose the U.F.N then we will join the U.F.N, if they choose Brittannia, then we will choose Brittannia" Vladimir replied and exited the room.

To those still left in it they had a feeling of uncertainty within them, they had made their move, now it was Lelouch's turn to do it.

**(a few days later, Streets of Volgograd, Square outside the Cities' cathedral,)**

Philippe Petain was in Moscow, his intention was that with Darlton being the biggest threat now from his offensive that his presence in Moscow and a speech of encouragement to the E.U from there would benefit moral greatly and so he began his speech from the podium to those assembled.

"People of Russia and all citizens of the E.U. the armies of tyranny and enslavement are now on the offensive, but I am not afraid, not of the path that lies in front of me, but the path that lies behind me…..fro over two centuries we have faced Brittannia and we have prevailed, we have been in dire situations, but we have won, and now just like before a dark night has fallen over the E.U, but we will not stop, we will not surrender, we will win and if the Iron Prince dares to trample the sacred soil of the E.U then we will hang him from a sour apple tree!" Petain said to the cheers of the crowd.

"BOLD WORDS PETAIN, BUT CAN YOU BACK UP SUCH A STATEMENT?" Lelouch's voice was suddenly heard booming over the microphone…

**(Slayers military base Horai Island, training grounds)**

Kallen, now a major in the army was inspecting the batch of new recruits she was given to from a squadron with, Chiba was supervising her 'underclassmate and she was standing a few feet behind her.

"Men you are now part of the Army of the Slayers now and it is my job to make you all battle worthy, and if you have any questions please speak you mind now" Kallen replied.

"Sir, sooner or later we will be deployed to war, when that happens….will we be facing the Iron Prince?" one recruit asked.

At this Kallen looked to him and saw that he was scared; she also saw that at the mentioning of his name the other recruits where either scarred or had a look of dismay on their faces, Lelouch was now so powerful from his victories which to the common man seemed nothings short of miraculous that in the minds of the soldiers of China, the E.U and even some of the Slayers that if they faced an army commanded by Lelouch, the battle would be lost from the very beginning, it was the same mentality that Napoleon also possessed.

"There is that possibility, but do not despair, I am a veteran of past campaigns, I have faced him in India and I tell you we defeated him back then, and he can be defeated again!" Kallen boldly proclaimed, although the Final and most famous battle of India that of ' The Two Dragons' was a stalemate, both sides proclaimed it a victory and that restored the confidence to most of those present, but a few where not impressed.

"Yeah, that's true sir, but it took two million men to defeat 200 thousand, are those the kind of casualties we should expect to get?" another recruit asked, he like the other recruits have been drafted and it was in human nature to not join what was perceived to be the loosing team.

"Ladies, Gentleman, I am sick and tired of hearing what the "Teenage Mutant Wannabe Prince' is going to do to us!..." Chiba said as she was exasperated from how their soldiers were so scared of Lelouch.

"….You speak of him like he is some boogieman, and he will do a triple summersault and land on both our flanks and rear at the same time, when I say to you that you that you should stop thinking of what he is going to do to us and start thinking of what we will do to him!" Chiba added.

"But his past victories…"

"His past victories are the result that he faced armies lead by idiots, you leaders now are Xingke, Ohgi and Todoh men who have faced him and bested him on the field, and you are saying that you are still afraid to face him, despite the fact that you will be lead by men who know how to and bested him before?" Chiba said and at this statement the soldiers present had their confidence restored.

After the men were dismissed Chiba and Kallen where in the cafeteria having lunch.

"Thank you for your help Chiba-san" Kallen said to her.

"Don't mention it Kouzuki, still I can't believe how scared they are of Lelouch!" Chiba replied.

"We aren't because we know how he pulled his victories off, they don't know how and that's why they are scarred" Kallen replied, just then the TV in the cafeteria announced that the E.U president was going to make a speech.

**(Sarmizegetusa hangar bay)**

"Are the troops and agents in position now?" Lelouch asked from his knightmares radio.

"Yes sir!" an officer replied.

"Then let's get this show on the road!" Lelouch replied and he viewed Petain's speech on his knightmares screen after putting on his mask.

"People of Russia and all citizens of the E.U. the armies of tyranny and enslavement are now on the offensive, but I am not afraid, not of the path that lies in front of me, but the path that lies behind me…..fro over two centuries we have faced Brittannia and we have prevailed, we have been in dire situations, but we have won, and now just like before a dark night has fallen over the E.U, but we will not stop, we will not surrender, we will win and if the Iron Prince dares to trample the sacred soil of the E.U then we will hang him from a sour apple tree!" Petain said to the cheers of the crowd.

"BOLD WORDS PETAIN, BUT CAN YOU BACK UP SUCH A STATEMENT?" Lelouch's voice was suddenly heard booming over the microphone…

"You say you will hang me from a sour apple three? Here's your chance!" Lelouch's said and from the deeps of the river the Sarmizegetusa and ten other float system carriers emerged.

"I…Impossible! He used the river to sneak inside our territory!" Pétain said astounded at what was happening.

His guards tried to rush to him, the knightmares which were present tried to guard him, but it was too late, for from the fleet knightmares emerged an quickly disabled the guards and captured Pétain, the crowd was startled by this sudden appearance and cries and shouts ran through it, people pushed each other trying to get away, until one man said something which quickly silenced them all:

(Посмотрите это Zero)

"Look it's Zero!"

Lelouch with the Shinkiro's top was raised was now descending upon the platform to where Pétain and other members of the E.U. government where situated.

The knightmare then touched the ground and Lelouch in one swoop jump down from the cockpit landing.

The 50.000 people gathered in the city's square where all silent upon the presence of the great 'Iron Prince' and he was quiet, he looked at the crowd and then took a few steps forward to Petain, the sound of his footsteps echoed throughout the square from the great silence and then the silence was broken.

"W..who do you think you are! Coming in here and pulling this stunt, I am the president of the E.U, you are nothing but a brat playing soldier! We will not be intimidated by some street punk!" Petain boldly proclaimed to the world.

Lelouch turned his head to him and Petain jumped at this in fear, Lelouch then took out a small radio and pushed a button activating it.

"This is Jeremiah, we have emerged from the northern sea and have captured Saint Petersburg."

"This is Kewell, we have captured Rome and are finishing up sweeping what's left of the resistance"

"This is Patton, Omar and me have landed in London and re on our way to have some tee and crumpets in old Big Ben"

"This is Viletta, we have left the Seine and we have finished seizing Paris, we await further orders"

"This is Darlton, we have broken through the Suez defenses, we are besieging Istanbul and are advancing on the Caucasus"

"This is Schneizell, we have finished landing in Kamchatka and we are preparing to march on Siberia"

At this the whole world was shocked, Petain was the most shocked of all, Paris, London, Petersburg and Volgograd where all in the hands of the Empire, the cities where 70% of the war effort went in was now in enemy hands.

"I….I am the president of the E.U….the E.U!" Pétain said dismayed and he dropped the Royal Hetman baton of Russia, it was traditional that when a president made a speech in Russia to carry the baton with him.

Lelouch walked to it and picked the stick up, at that moment the sky which was dark and cloudy above began to clear and upon Lelouch's position a ray of light shined, right during the moment he picked up the Tsar's baton.

To those present and the world as such, the action of Lelouch's picking up the baton or the scepter of the Russian throne and the sky shedding light upon him like that meant that the heaven's themselves had chosen a new ruler of Russia.

Just then in front of the crowd, right next to the platform several people bowed and got on their knees at this sight, and the rest of the crowd followed and pretty soon the entire city bowed to Lelouch.

"W….What are you doing! He is not the ruler of Russia, the last Tsar died two hundred years ago! On you feat! On your feat!" Petain desperately screamed to those present, but they did not listen to him…after all why should they listen to a man, when they could listen to a living legend.

At the same time giant containers from the Sarmizegetusa where being lowered down next to the assembled crowd.

Lelouch then took of his mask and glanced at the crowd that was gathered, he then made a pose which, to the common man was not anything special, but this simple pose was in fact the royal pose of authority and power by God's grace.

He then much to the crowds shock started speaking in Russian, pure Russian, as if he had been born and bred in Russia itself

"**Lyudi Rossii, ya Lelush VI Brittannia, komandir armii Imperii. "**

"People of Russia, I am Lelouch vi Brittannia, commander of the armies of the empire."

"**Na protyazhenii vekov E.U. ispolʹzoval vas, vy golodali i lishil vas ot bogat·stva syuda svoyu voĭnu i ambitsii, a ne bolyee!"**

"For centuries the E.U. has used you, starved you and stripped you of your riches for their war and ambition, well no more!"

"**Eto ne narod Rossii, kotoryĭ yavlyaet·sya nashim vragom, no pravitelʹstvo YeS, kotoryĭ porabotil vas, nad cherez nih i razorvatʹ kandaly, eti politiki obeshchali, chto solntse i luna, yesli vy dadite svoyu predannostʹ, no, kogda prishlo vremya platitʹ, oni nikogda ne delayut! **"

"It is not the people of Russia which is our enemy, but the E.U government which has enslaved you, over through them and break the shackles, these politicians have promised you the sun and the moon if you give your allegiance, but when it is time to pay up, they never do!"

"**YA ne takoĭ! Tam ne bylo ni odnogo obeshchaniya ya nikogda ne derzhal, odin nichego sebe ya nikogda ne vypolnyalasʹ! YeS privela vasha voĭna, golod i smertʹ ... YA grani vam mir, ya grani vam svobodu ! ya grani vy hleba! "**

"I am not like that! There has not been a single promise i have never kept, a single wow i have never fulfilled! The E.U has brought your war, starvation and death...I brink you peace, I brink you freedom! I brink you bread!"

Upon that final sentence, the containers where opened and food spilled out of them, the hungry people of Volgograd which from Petain's desire to continue the war been subjected to food rations quickly flooded the containers and the Black Knights which had descended from the other ships and where bringing even more food to the city.

Lelouch then looked at Petain and who was boiling with anger.

"You're still just a brat!" he loudly proclaimed as he was dragged off by Lelouch's guards to a secure location, but Lelouch did not mind the insult and he turned his head to the now cheering crowd before him.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_I was part of those who covertly joined the Prince in Volgograd, at the beginning we where looked by the scared crowd as devils and monsters, but after we started giving food we where looked upon as angels of mercy and saint by the people of Volgograd"_

"_After that a few minutes we heard shouts and cries in Russian, we latter found out that the where shouting :_

"_Long Live Zero!"_

"_Hail the Iron Prince"_

"_God bless Lelouch the new Tsar of Russia and the only autocrat of Rus"_

"_We have though we seemed it all, but nothing compared with what happened that day, after that the whole of Russia declared their loyalty to the Prince, he had conquered Russia, the one nation which had never been conquered before and he realized it without shooting one bullet!"_

_Sergeant First Class Infantry Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights_

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan_

**(Sarmizegetusa, bridge room)**

Diethard Reed could not believe what just happened and that it work and his mind immediately went over the event.

"_Using the Volga as a means to infiltrate the country was amazing enough in itself, but after arriving here he ordered Kururugi who is a few thousand feet above us to fire a few blasts into the clouds so when the Prince picks up the scepter to make it look like God had chosen him to rule Russia…..brilliant, simply brilliant!...and on top of that he had agents position themselves in the front of the crowd with orders to get on their knees just at the right moment, therefore making the whole crowd kneel before him….more! show me more! Show me the world which your ego will create!"_

Diethard thought to himself as he let out a mad laugh that terrified the other bridge crewmen.

**(Lelouch's position)**

He could not help but smile at what was transpiring, the E.U was now on its death bed and this action today was the first nail in its coffin, Schneizell would now be able to negotiate with the other major members of the E.U, and the fact that Lelouch now had troops in their major capitals helped things a lot.

He now had committed possibly the greatest con job the world had ever know!

Russia, the strongest member of the E.U was now his to command, and he became a ruler not of a country which was conquered and now lied in ruins, but of one which he had won through deception, he now had a mighty country, a mighty army and navy at his disposal, now was the time to strike at the geass cult, now was the time to finish things with his father, now was the time for the sins of the past committed against him to be punished.

Everything around him went like clockwork, this could not have turned out better if it had been all scripted, and Lelouch could already in his mind hear the perfect music for this particular scene:

**Attero!  
Dominatus!  
Berlin is burning  
Denique!  
Interimo!  
The reich has fallen**

We stand at the gates of Berlin  
With two and a half million men  
With six thousand tanks in our ranks  
Use them as battering rams

Artillery leading our way  
A million grenades has been launched  
The nazis must pay for their crimes  
The wings of the eagle has been broken

Marshall Zhukov's orders:  
Serve me Berlin on a plate!  
Disregard the losses  
The city is ours to take

The price of a war must be payed  
Millions of lives has been lost  
The price must be paid by the men  
That started the war in the 30's

The spring of the year 45'  
The year when the nazis will fall  
We're inside the gates of Berlin  
The beak of the eagle is broken

Comrade Stalins orders:  
Serve me it's head on a plate  
Disregard the losses  
The eagle's land is ours to take

March!  
Fight!  
Die!  
In Berlin!  
March!  
Fight!  
Conquer!  
Berlin!

"_Yes!" _Lelouch thought to himself "_March forward my warrior's, my knights, march, fight and bring victory and you my foes and enemies you will die"_

**(Excerpt from the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia.)**

"_After that day in March the E.U would be split between the U.F.N and Brittannia."_

"_Now for the first time in history Lelouch vi Brittannia became the head of a country."_

"_Many people on the planet could not believe what had happened, after Lelouch's ascension as the First Tsar of the new Russian Kingdom he quickly went to work, he arrested corrupt politicians, wealthy business men and confiscated their companies, but to the surprise of all he then have 50% of the stocks to the employs of the various companies, he then made a law in which if you could make crops grow out of barren land the land would become your without having to pay for the respective land."_

"_The workers motivated by now having a part of the company to themselves started working harder and production increased, the food shortage disappeared and Russia which was on the verge of bankruptcy would in three months time become once again prosperous"_

"_These actions consolidated his position, ensuring that he would remain the Tsar of Russia"_

" _It was however just a small practice before the main event, before Lelouch would become the ruler of the greatest Nation the world had ever or perhaps would ever see"_

**Author note: **

**Read and Review, let me know if I should continue.**


	41. Turn XV: The Ties That Bind

Turn XV: The Ties That Bind

**.**

**(Sarmizegetusa command ship, Lelouch's office)**

" _A week has passed since Prince Lelouch vi Brittannia was proclaimed the new Tsar of Russia, following his ascension his highness immediately routed out almost half of the Russian parliament after exposing their corruption, confiscated and distributed stocks from companies which confined their workers in conditions little above serfdom, examined the Russian army and improved the living conditions of its soldiers ….also his highness has drafted the new Russian constitution, in which the head of government will remain an elected official , but the head of the state and army will be the Tsar, the acceptance of a Brittannian as head of a European country has had two reactions this far: the Russian people have applauded his reforms and his popularity is now 70 %, the members of the E.U excluding those who are now joining the Empire have responded with accusations of treason on Russia's side….."_

Lelouch and the other viewed the latest news footage.

"Well Lelouch I can calmly say that every letter that comes from the Ural's will have the following message: From Russia with Love!" Suzaku teased him.

"Thank you for the complement, but now we have more pressing matter to attend to" Lelouch said and he started briefing them.

"We in the short term future will have to face the U.F.N which is being organized now, that is why I have sent Odysseus and Kuribayashi to prepare the defense of Japan ...but before that we must make a commando raid on a enemy base deep within Chinese territory" he added.

"Well it's not like any of us has not been in black ops missions before, what's so special about this?" George asked.

At this Lelouch took out a soda can from his desk, opened it, took a sip, let out a breath of air which was of concern and said:

"I doubt that there is one human enemy that any of you fear…but what about those none human?" Lelouch asked and C.C who was standing behind him smiled curiously at what he was about to say.

**(Ashford Academy)**

"So when do you think they will arrive here?" Josephine asked Millie, they along with most of the student body where waiting to see the artillery units from the Black knights arrive, Lelouch had requested permission to turn the Academy into an artillery nest.

Part of the reason was that it was open ground, surrounded by tall building which made it one giant foxhole and the second reason was that he desired to keep the students safe.

In the army the artillery was the safest place to be.

The artillery was placed in the rear of the position and thus was the farthest away from the fighting, although the popular perception was that the supply convoy or the engineers and mechanics was the safest, they where the main targets of enemy airpower and raids by guerillas, since and army can have a million knightmares, but if those knightmares break down, they are nothing but rubbish.

Just then the transport pulled in and the student all looked awed at the massive guns, missile launchers both anti ground force and anti aerial force being unloaded and placed into position.

The commanding officer was in the Center of his man and was coordinating them.

Millie and some of the students went closer to get a better look at the equipment.

"Whoa! This is a 180 millimeter "Zmeu" anti armored cannon, and that over there is a Z 118 "Balaur" anti air missile launcher!" One of the two boys which had been in Shinjuku ghetto when Euphie and Suzaku where at the time.

"Hey, since there is going to be a battle soon why don't we offer our help…who knows maybe they will even let us man a cannon!" the other one of the two boys said and he with group of students went to one of the guards and asked to see the commander.

"You want to see the General to join the artillery! Pwah ha ha ha! Get lost kids, "Rainman" has better things to do than play babysitter to a bunch of brats!" one Brittannian Black Knight said.

"How dare you say that, we are personal friends of the Iron Prince! We are all children of nobles and high ranking officials and I demanded we be given commissions to man cannons!" one of the students present said.

The commander hearing that there was trouble brewing decided to intervene.

"Is there some problem?" he said and upon his coming over to where the students where they realized that the general was Odysseus.

"Your highness!" they said and got down on one knee.

"Oh I prefer to be addressed as General…so what's the problem here sergeant?" Odysseus asked him.

"Well sir they say they want to join the artillery and commander cannons, it old them their request was crazy and they wouldn't see reason sir, they said that they were the Field Marshall's friends sir." the sergeant replied, much to the spite of those present.

"I see" Odysseus said and he turned to the students who by now had got up from kneeling.

Odysseus remembered that there where students at Ashford who where only trouble and would demand commissions like that from what Lelouch told him.

Odysseus being a professional soldier knew that the greatest enemy an army has is not the opposing army…..but incompetent officers, those where more dangerous than the enemy.

"I am afraid that we do not have any openings on the artillery…..but if you wish to help we need people to help with the ammunition crew….bringing the ammunition to a cannon is more important than manning it!" Odysseus skillfully replied.

The other agreed to it and the group was taken to be given uniforms and when they returned Odysseus called for someone "Ito!"

"Sir!" Kuribayashi said and he came next to him, he was with only his shirt on and his jacket with his rank was being cleaned, so he to those who weren't part of his division and did not recognize him he looked like a private.

"These are our new recruits for the ammunition squadrons, se to them!" Odysseus ordered and left.

Kuribayashi immediately examined them with his eyes and said:

"Where's your helmets and neckties?" he asked.

"Helmets, neckties? There uncomfortable so we didn't put them on!" one of the two boys asked.

"we didn't put them on sir!" Kuribayashi replied much to the confusion of those present.

"Starting now you are in the army and you will address me as sir, and since you don't have all of your uniform on that's a 200 pounds fine" Kuribayashi replied.

"What! 200 pounds! I will not be ordered around by some stinking eleven private!" the second of the two boys barked back and pocket Kuribayashi in the chest

At this Kuribayashi with an authoritarian tone said: "I am Lt Colonel Ito Kuribayashi, second in command of the artillery corps and commander of this division" he said and the blood from the two boys face was drained from their faces at the realization, Kuribayashi was called the "Hornet" for his deadly command of artillery, second only to Odysseus himself.

Kuribayashi then leaned forward and whispered:" That's right boy, this stinking eleven is your commander and I could have you shot for sticking and officer "

Kuribayashi then leaned back and said to them:

"When General Odysseus told me to see to you, I was to test you to see if you have what it takes to be a Black Knights, and you don't, you broken the second rule: 'Camaraderie is sacred' and you broke it…any soldier who is caught breaking any three wow's is skinned alive!" Kuribayashi said with a menacing voice, the close proximity to Lelouch had payed off.

"You are all rejected, so get out of my sight" he said and left, it had been long since Kuribayashi had been called eleven again, but this time he could fight back, the Prince gave him orders to net let one insult go unreported to him and with his protection Kuribayashi was no longer forced to eat up everyone's shit once more, he was a man of power, of stature and authority.

"_The only problem with the Prince was that he was not born sooner…..God bless you your highness and to hell with anyone who says differently.!"_ Kuribayashi thought to himself and with zeal continued with the defense preparations.

**(Sarmizegetusa, Lelouch's office)**

"So let me get this straight…there has been an ancient power called geass which is the origin behind fantasy stories, the one who receives it has some kind of magic powers, while the giver is immortal, and there are two sides of geass one who is good and one who is evil, and C.C here is the good side?" Kewell said.

"Something like that yes." Lelouch said to his lieutenants.

"Begging your pardon sir, but it seems really farfetched " Bradley replied with a chuckle.

"C.C would you mind if I gave them a demonstration?" Lelouch asked.

"Go right ahead, I don't mind" she replied unfazed.

Lelouch then took out his pistol pointed at her head and fired, the others jumped up from their seats in shock, but the where even more shocked when C.C got up from the floor with her wound healed a second later.

"My God!" George said astounded.

"As you can see this power is real, and it has plagued mankind for centuries, the crusades, the jihads, the inquisitions, the holocaust, the rise of communism and it's death camps all of them where efforts to rid mankind of the evil side of geass….but if you cut off the branches of a tree, they will simply grow back…you must cut off the roots and that is where we are going to destroy the Geass headquarters" Lelouch said and paused for a moment to let it sink in.

"Before I ask you, and not order you to join me I say to you this, there will be civilians, doctors and scientists which are unarmed, and the subjects they give geass too are little children, some no older that seven, I know of this since one of them has defected to my banner, they will all have to die also…..also I have in good information that the current leader of the cult is….my father, so if you go you will be breaking our code, committing a massacre and betraying the empire all in the same day…."

"So I won't order you to join me, I am requesting you to join, if not I will go by myself…." Lelouch said to them and waited with his eyes closed for their answer.

**(Slayers headquarters, meeting room)**

"So how is the progress of the Project Snare coming along?" Xingke asked.

"It has been completed two days ago, all we now have to do is use it." Laksharta replied.

"That is good news to hear, also I heard that Prince Lelouch is organizing his forces, I would like to know their commanders now" Kaguya said to those present.

"Understood! Since his ascension to the Russian throne Lelouch has organized the following army:" Ohgi said and he began his report.

"Out of the 3.000.000 troops within Russia he has divided them into the following:

1.000.000 troops have been organized into the Black Knights and 500.000 veterans have been transferred to Japan to bolster its defenses."

"1.000.000 have been reorganized into the Brittannian army and are stationed in Russia and 1.000.000 have been organized into the "Russian Legion".

"There have been also substantial a promotion among the rank and file, skillet officer have been promoted, a great deal of generals and colonel have been given honorable discharges and military pensions , those in charge of the Russian army are the following: 70% of generals and Colonels are of Brittannia origin, while the remaining 30 % are from commissioned officers with the ranks of Captains and majors mostly which are barely mid twenties old, also he has done the same with the Russian security service and the Government guard division is now composed entirely of soldiers who served under him in the Black Knights" Ohgi added.

"So he has consolidated his hold on Russia, what of his High Commanders?" Todoh asked.

"After his promotion to Grand Marshall he has given the following ranks: Jeremiah Gotwald, Viletta Nu, Kewell Soresi have all been given Field Marshall's Commissions, Odysseus, George Patton and Omar Bradley have been Given Lieutenant General's Commissions, Kururugi Suzaku has been promoted to Brigadier General"

"The Troops currently stationed in Japan are as following the original 250.000 Black Knights are under Lelouch's direct command; these troops are called the 1st army of the Black Knights"

"Lord Jeremiah commands the 2nd 250.000 man army which is stationed with the 1st in Tokyo,"

"Darlton and Cornelia's 8th army have been transferred and are stationed in Fukuoka"

"Kewell commands the 3rd army stationed in Kyushu along with Viletta who commands the 4th army also in Kyushu"

"Prince Odysseus and his second Brigadier Kuribayashi are in charge of the artillery and are stationed with Lelouch in Tokyo"

"George Patton and Omar Bradley are in command of the 5th army of the Black Knights which are stationed also in Tokyo"

"Kururugi Suzaku in now the brevet commander of the original 42nd Corps and is Lelouch's second in command in the 1st army" Ohgi added.

"What composition are those troops made out off?" Urabe asked.

"40% percent of them are Brittannian, 30% are Russian and the other 30% are Former numbers who have joined the Black Knights" Ohgi replied.

"So if the numbers or Russian's betray him, he has ample means to crush them" Senba said.

"But the same goes for the Brittannian forces if they do the same" Chiba said.

"The fact is this also guarantees his own survival in the Empire from assassinations" Asahina added.

"What do you mean?" Kallen asked.

"Well thanks to Lelouch there are half a million armed Russians and Half a million armed Japanese in The Empires most important province, regardless if he win or looses he is the only one who can control those troops, if he dies the Empire has to deal with one million angry soldiers which have lost their idol…the Brittannian's who enslave other nations are now being ordered around by their slaves, rather funny situation don't you agree?" Asahina added.

"He, what's even funnier is that a Brittannia Prince is the Symbol for Freedom which a part of the numbers embrace…..how fucked up is that!" Tamaki added.

"We are getting off track! The U.F.N is almost complete, only two major countries have not joined yet: Germany which has the finest army and economy in the E.U and Iran which bolts the greatest oil reserves from the Federation, we must ensure that these two countries join us, if they do then victory is ours through superior resources" Kaguya said.

"Xingke-san, Todoh Shogun, and Chiba-san I suggest the three of you go to Germany, Kallen-san with Myself will go to Iran to try to persuade them to join us"

"The rest of you should remain here and finish organizing our forces" Kaguya added and the meeting was adjourned.

After they left Kallen went to speak with Kaguya in private.

"Kaguya-sama I would like to accompany you, but my mother has recently recovered from refrain and I am worried about leaving her alone" Kallen said.

"The bring her with us" Kaguya said to Kallen.

"Eh?"

"The meeting will in the Kish Islands, that is a luxurious five star beach resort, your mother can relax there while we take care of business" Kaguya said to Kallen with a smile.

**(Sarmizegetusa command ship)**

"Your Highness, my loyalties are not to the Empire, but to you, so it is not a problem for me in that regard" Jeremiah replied.

"The same thing applies for me Lelouch, I don't like using violent means, but I've come to thrust your judgment" Suzaku added.

Viletta, Kewell, George and Omar agreed with them.

"That is good to hear, but may I remind you that if you agree to join this mission, you will have to kill innocent civilians, women and children….can you do something like that?" Lelouch asked.

At this Suzaku immediately stood up and said:

"Lelouch this power has no place in this world; it is evil plain and simple, eliminating it is necessary at all costs!" Suzaku said out loud in an uncharacteristic bloodlust, he still blamed geass from what happened to Lelouch and earlier today Lelouch told him about Mao so his hatred for geass only intensified.

Just then George stood up and said:

"In my opinion only God should be all powerful, like Suzaku said this is an unholy power and must be eliminated , I am with you all the way!"

George then got up from his seat, and saluted, the other did the same.

"Very well then, in two days we should arrive at our destination, everyone go and get some rest, for we go which hunting!" Lelouch said and they all complied.

**(A day later, Kish Island)**

**Mahmoud Ahmadinejad** The Iranian President was having lunch Kaguya and Kallen was sitting next to Kaguya acting as her bodyguard.

"Your U.F.N seems like a good idea Lady Kaguya…but it would be unfair to me to say yes to your proposal without hearing the one from the Empire's representative" the president replied.

"Of course! It would be rude not too" Kaguya skillfully replied.

A moment the door to the balcony where they were having lunch was opened and the representative Lelouch sent to Iran walked in.

Kallen's eyes immediately went wide in shock at who the Empire's representative was.

"Oh! It is an honor to meet you, if I understand correctly you are one of the Iron Prince's men!" **Mahmoud **said to him.

"Yes your Excellency, I am the President of Black Corporation, I supervise my master's estate while he leads our armies" he replied.

"Well I t is an honor to meet you mister James…..beg your pardon I am a little rusty with names of European origin"

"Stadfelt your Excellency, James Stadfelt " he replied and looked at Kallen from the corner of his eye.

To Kallen this had become a very complicated situation.

**(A day later, Berlin)**

Ludwig Beck, the newly elected President of Germany was playing a game of chess with someone, Xingke and Todoh where both received in the office where he was doing so and Beck's chess opponent was obscured since his chair was positioned with the back to the two of them

"First of all congratulations on becoming the President Beck-san" Xingke said to him.

"I thank you graciously, if I am not mistaken you are here to try to convince me to have Germany join the U.F.N?" Ludwig asked.

"Yes, you're Excellency" Todoh replied.

"Well the U.F.N seems like a good idea and I will join on one condition, you see my friend here is the reason the other candidates backed down and let me be the party's candidate for presidency, I don't know how he did it but I am grateful, and my friend here desires a position in your new government" Beck replied.

"That could be arranged." Xingke replied.

"I will hold you to your promise Xingke" Beck's chess opponent said and immediately Xingke and Todoh both jumped at the voice which they both heard and recognized.

Beck's chest opponent got up from his seat and they're fears where confirmed.

"Kusakabe!" Todoh and Xingke both spat up in disgust at Kusakabe which was smiling deviously.

**Author's note**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue.**


	42. Turn XVI: Kristallnacht,

Turn XVI: **Kristallnacht**,

**(Kish Island)**

"So you have come here to try and persuade us to join the Empire…Lady Kaguya has offered me and the people I choose several high positions in their Government and a number of economic benefits, what is your offer?" The Iranian president said to James.

"Beg your pardon your Excellency, but I such things are best left to discuss in private" James said.

"Why? Are you afraid of the two charming ladies over here?" Mahmud said cockily.

James a veteran of hundreds of intercompany buyer wars and thousands of meetings was unfazed by that announcement and he calmly said the following:

"Our offer is the following: Iran will receive the supply right to our troops on the Middle East, your navy will have immunity within our waters from attack and your merchants will receive a 30% discount in borders taxes to our territory".

"In exchange for those benefits you want us to join the Empire?" Mahmud asked.

"No…" James replied much to Kaguya, Mahmud and Kallen's confusion.

"…..In exchange for remaining neutral in the conflict" James said and the shock of that statement made Mahmud, Kaguya and Kallen jump from their seats.

**(Sarmizegetusa, Lelouch's office)**

"Are you sure you should destroy them? They are researchers not an army" C.C said to him.

"In this world there are two kinds of people: Leaders and followers, the order is established because the strong or capable are the leaders, Geass has the potential to give a subordinate the raw power to defeat his leader's superior strategical and tactical abilities….It's very existents' threatens the natural order of the universe, that is why it must be purged" Lelouch replied unfazed as he geared up for battle.

"What about Rollo? You he also has Geass." C.C replied.

"I promised Rollo a peaceful life free of geass, and I will give it to him…life is short, especially for knightmare pilots" Lelouch said and he walked out of the room and to the hangar bay.

"Spoken like a true son of Charles" C.C said indifferently muttered to herself and also prepared for battle.

**(Kish Islands)**

"If we remain neutral? What do you mean? A country gives another benefits in exchange for assistance, they never make an offer like this without wanting something in return!" Mahmud said to James.

James's mind then flashed back to the meeting he had with Schneizell and Lelouch before departing for Iran.

"_Ensure Iran's neutrality in the conflict? Wouldn't it be more profitable to have them join us?" James asked._

"_Technically yes…but practically no, Iran in viewed by the Majority of the Empire and a bubbling cauldron of Religious fanaticism, the origin of terrorism and the hotbed of anti-women's rights, we would lose a great deal of public support from both the numbers and the citizens alike for making allies with Iran" Schneizell replied._

"_Also from a military point of view it is at a disadvantage! Our strategy in the middle east if that of Defensive nature for the coming war and with few troops stationed in Suez, and in the Caucasus, we are unable to hold both Suez and Asia minor, also Iran is bordered with a bigger army of the U.F.N then ours and even a fool can see that it would be madness to join Brittannia under those conditions….therefore an alliance with Iran is impracticable both politically and militarily for our side, but we must not let Iran join Kaguya!" Lelouch replied._

"_Understood! I will do my best to make sure of their neutrality!" James replied._

**End of flashback…..**

"There is no hidden meaning behind it, we have made an offer and it is up to you to accept it or refuse it, I will remain in this country until seven o clock tomorrow morning, if I do not here a response until then I will assume our offer has been turned down and your country is a member of the U.F.N" James replied, bowed and walked away slowly.

James knew that this offer of benefits without responsibilities which he presented to them was much more beneficial than joining the U.F.N and leading them their military strength.

And if that did not convince them , the time limit would surely help to do so, people had a way of accepting generous offers more easily when under pressure.

He walked into the elevator which would lead it to his room, when an arm was popped in and it stopped the doors from closing, it was Kallen and she entered the elevator with James.

They sat there in silence for a few moments, until Kallen broke it.

"Not even a 'Hello honey how are you doing' for your own daughter? You haven't changed since brothers funeral, of which you didn't show up." Kallen spat out to him.

At this James heart tore in two, he did not know how much he could keep his game face on before he would break down so he replied the only reply he could muster.

"When I heard Wellington died I was so grief stricken that I almost drank myself to death and couldn't attend the funeral" .

Kallen's eyes immediately snapped in shock at the sentence.

During their time when Naoto lead the cell, they had used code names from the characters in the Sharpe Book series, Naoto's codename was Wellington.

"W..wait you know about our code names, but only…..only people from the resistance cell knew them!" Kallen replied and then the dreaded question was asked by her.

"Are you really a Brittannian spy, not a business man?"

"No….I am Major Hogan" James calmly said and as the elevator's doors opened to the floor he was assigned to have a room opened he went outside the doors.

Kallen's mind went blank at this_" Major Hogan! Our secret sponsor, the reason we even had weapons, supplies and a cover from the police from time to time, the only reason we survived this long….was you father!"_ Kallen thought to herself and she lunged forward trying to stop her father from leaving, but she was stopped by the elevator doors which closed before here.

James meanwhile went into his room, sat down on the couch and dialed room service.

"What kind of liquor do you have here?" he asked the room service operator.

"Approximately 500 brands of alcohol" she replied.

"Please bring one bottle of each to ambassador James's room" he replied and put down the phone.

**(Geass cult headquarters)**

"Bartley and his men aside, what are we going to do about Princess Cornelia? At least we should contact His Majesty" One of V.V lieutenants asked him.

"Did Charles know of Cornelia's movements? Or did he not?" V.V asked.

"Master V.V we have an incoming transmission from Rollo" the communication officer said through the speakers.

"Ah, link it here." V.V replied nonchalantly.

"Please to meet you. You must be V.V eh?" Lelouch said as his face appeared on the screen before V.V, startling him.

"Lelouch…" he responded.

"Why is he using Rollo's communication network! where is the transmission coming from?" one cultist asked.

"Moscow, inside the St Petersburg palace presumably" another one answered after looking at the back ground in Lelouch's transmission.

"At this point, self introductions are pointless. But I'd like to ask you a few things. During the first battle of Fukuoka and my raid a year after that where you responsible for both instances of Geass?"

"Where you also the one that gathered Suzaku and me at Kamine island, and acted as a spectator?" Lelouch asked.

"Yes, that's right, but the fact that you are asking this means that you know about Geass and its connections to Charles"

"Yes, " Lelouch replied.

"Then C.C is with you ,too? Give her to me, and I shall give you freedom from ge…."

"Convenient is it not? Having power for so long has made you think you can just proclaim it and it would be accepted, like one of the ancient God's with blind followers, well I am afraid that it's the end of your reign" Lelouch angrily replied.

"But, by them time you arrive here, we would have already moved on to our next location "

Lelouch interrupted him with the following:

"Location, time, probability, lifespan, reality and dream, these are all just units represented by numbers, and in any system, any era, there is always one constant to all of these..eventually they all return to **Zero!"**

***BOOM*** V.V speech was interrupted by the sound of shell hitting the outer walls.

"Master V.V knightmares!" one occultist said to him.

"What!" V.V said surprised and confused.

"Black Knights we believe" another one said and C.C and her strike team of George ,Omar, Kewell and Viletta entered the room.

"V.V location has been pinpointed. All units encircle point Alfa 7" C.C ordered.

The attack began and both Bradley and Cornelia noticed it form their respective cell's.

"I see, so that's how it is…"V.V said as he got up from his chair.

"Yes, buying myself a little time was enough. To make you let your guard down just for a little moment. To make you think I was still in Russia, and slow your escape" Lelouch replied as the fake background fell down to reveal the Shinkiro, and Suzaku, Jeremiah's, and Rollo's Lancelots and Vincent.

"V.V, the day of judgment has come for you and your hoard of witches" Lelouch added.

While inside the Geass cult C.C and her strike team, now joined by Lelouch and the other where slaughtering everyone in sight.

"Move all research data into the Eject Dart. And prepare that thing for me." V.V replied.

"Master you are going out yourself?" one occultist asked,

"I need to buy us some time to escape. And Marianne's child needs to be taught a little discipline" V.V replied and he left.

**(Kish Islands)**

James was sitting on the sofa and the table in front of it was covered with mini bottles of various strong drinks.

A knock was heard at the door.

"If you are the one with the second wave of beverage then come in its unlocked" James replied.

James had his eyes closed and didn't bother to look who it was.

"You are drinking too much, it's bad for your health." a feminine voice replied.

At this James angrily got up and said:

"What I drink or how much I drink is none of your business, who do you think you are? my wife?" James said and for the first time looked and saw that the person who entered the room was the last one he expected to see here.

"….Nodoka!" he said now out of breath, before him was his ex wife and a very tall man dressed in Slayers uniform behind her.

**(Geass cult headquarters)**

Omar and George where shooting at a group of civilian and after a few moments all of them died.

"Hey George this doesn't fell right, killing defenseless people like this" Omar said to him.

"Lelouch said that he wouldn't force us to join him in this mission and if we did we would have to kill everyone here, even the civilians, you gave your word that you would participate Brad and you knew what was expected of you, so suck up and let's get back to work!" George replied a bit angry at Bradley, and they both returned to making carnage.

In another part of the cult Bartley and his subordinates had escaped.

"We still haven't found Princess Cornelia? We must save her within this opening-" ***Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang* **.

A hail of machinegun fire came and cut down Bartley and his associates.

The knightmare which did it then left to continue his work elsewhere , giving C.C a clear view of Bartley.

"…That man…if I remember he was with Prince Clovis" C.C said to herself.

"Master C.C! You came back! Please save us, Master C.C!" a group of Geass scientists said to her.

***Boom*** an anti personal grenade from came and obliterated the group of scientists.

With his last drops of life Bartley looked up to C.C and lamented at just how great a disaster this had turned out to be.

"P-Prince Clovis…The immortal woman we were going to offer to His Majesty, Apparently….His Majesty knew about her existence already…F-Forgive me…we should never have laid hands…on that woman.." Bartley said and he died.

**(Horai Island)**

"Lelouch's flagship has been spotted in Mongolia?" Ohgi asked Sugiyama.

"Yes, but we have no idea why he would be present there." Sugiyama replied.

"Most probably scouting the terrain for an offensive through the Gobi desert or something like that" Urabe replied.

"Whatever the case we must hurry and finish ratifying the U.F.N constitution, after that we march on the Black Gates themselves!" Asahina said to those present.

And a silence filled the room…..

"Asahina! If I told you once I told you a thousand times to STOP WITH YOUR LOTR REFERENECES!" Chiba said shouting out the last part.

**(Kish Island)**

James had found himself in a rather unique position, his ex wife Nodoka was standing on the couch a few feet away from him.

"The man before…..was he your boyfriend?" James asked and awaited with dread the answer and poured himself another drink.

"No..that was a bodyguard Kallen insisted I have" Nodoka replied.

James at this let out a not to subtle breath of relief, one that was not unnoticed by Nodoka, he then lifted the glass to his mouth ready to drink it, when…

"I told you that you're drinking too much." Nodoka said in a calm and nurturing manner.

James at this placed the glass back on the table and then got up from the couch and went to the nearby window to look outside.

He lowered his head in desperate and with a voice filled with grief said:

"Why are you being concerned for my well being? After everything I did to you I was expecting you to hate my guts"

"That was not your fault, our divorce was unavoidable….." she replied.

"I killed him…" James suddenly blurted out.

Nodoka immediately looked at him confused, James still had his back turned to her.

"Our son Naoto…the reason he died was because of me….so I killed him" James said as his voice was indicated he was about to burst into tears

"How can that be! Naoto died in battle, you had no part in it!" Nodoka said and got up from her seat.

"And who do you think supplied him with weapons to fight battles, who do you think gave him the means to raid that convoy where he died?..." James said and he turned around, he was now visibly crying"…I did….I was the one who sponsored his resistance cell" James added as he started crying.

"And you know the funny thing is that while I was doing it, me and Naoto reconciled….we treated it like some weekend fishing trip…and then one day, one day….oh God!" He said as fell to his knees.

"If I hadn't sponsored him, he wouldn't have ambushed that convoy…he would still be alive….I tried to help my son….and I ended up killing him…." He then looked up at Nodoka and said" Even after hearing this can you say that you don't have me?" he then burst into tears.

James at this point let everything out, all the pain, all the grief, all the misery he had to suffer for the past eight years he let out in tears, Nodoka could take one of the alcohol bottles and beat him to death for all he cared…he almost even prayed that she would.

Instead she did what he least expected him to do, she got down on her knees next to him and hugged him, she buried her face in his shoulder and she too started crying….they both stood like that for a while spilling each other's grief and comforting each other emotionally.

**(Geass cult)**

"_Now that I have V.V down to his last breath, I just need to activate the bomb set on Rollo's unit, and with this Geass will be urged from this world for this generation!" _Lelouch gleefully thought to himself.

*Blaaaaaaaaam* the building before Lelouch was demolished revealing V.V final Ace.

"This unit's!" Lelouch said to himself.

"The Siegfried! No wonder we couldn't detect it after it sunk!" Suzaku said as V.V fired a harken at Lelouch propelling him out of the Geass cult and into the skies above the surface.

"This is surprising V.V! For a spectator to become an actor himself!" Lelouch replied.

"I did like you ever so slightly, Lelouch…for you resembled Charles" V.V replied and he started chasing Lelouch.

"fF all things, for Siegfried to appear here!" C.C said over the radio.

"Back away! You are his target!" Lelouch said to her.

V.V continued to chase Lelouch until Suzaku appeared an placed himself between Lelouch and V.V.

"This is the end for your V.V!" Jeremiah proclaimed as he and Omar, Viletta, Kewell, George and Bradley came from behind.

"Please surrender!" Rollo said as he came in front of the Siegfried.

"What are these traitors talking about?" V.V asked.

"V.V, I will drag you from there! All units attack!"Lelouch ordered.

"Yes, sir!"They replied.

They unleashed a barrage of fire power upon it, but V.V blocked it with his spinning electronic shield.

Most of the blasts where absorbed but then Suzaku fired one powerful one with his Conquesta V.A.R.I.S enhancer, that shot ricochet off and with added kinetic energy hit Suzaku's Lancelot right in the chest , making it crash to the ground.

"Suzaku, are you alright?" Lelouch asked his friend.

"Yes, my knightmare is disabled but I am clear…I am sorry everyone." Suzaku replied.

"That damn electronic armor!" Lelouch angrily spat out.

"Marianne's child is becoming conceited…" V.V said and launched a spinning melee attack, it hit George, Omar's, Viletta' and Kewell's Lancelot, disabling them.

"You son of a bitch! How dare you strike my comrades, also that unit is mine, in order to carry out my loyalty!" Jeremiah angrily spat out at V.V.

"Jeremiah, you are an imperial soldier, what you are doing now is treason to Charles" V.V said.

"Indeed! My loyalties lie to the Royal family, and I still serve them, I serve Prince Lelouch, just like I served his mother Empress Marianne!" Jeremiah shot back.

"Even you…shall utter that name!" V.V angrily said as he lunged at Jeremiah.

**Meanwhile on the ground…**

"God damn it! Lelouch and Jeremiah are facing that monster and we can't do anything about it!" George said frustrated.

"All of our knightmares are out of commission, there's nothing we can do" Viletta said frustrated as her comrades f aced that thing alone.

"Cannibalize the five fallen knightmares into one and rejoin the battle!" a voice from behind them was heard, and they turned around and where surprised to see who it was.

"Princess Cornelia!" Kewell said astonished.

**(Kish Island)**

"Yes George that's right I want a divorce from Brigitte as soon as possible….the effect on my social standing? I serve the Iron Prince! The nobles already hate my guts for that….if father disapproves it's no concern of mine, just tell remind him of who I serve!" James replied and he ended the conversation.

"Do you plan on marrying a third time now?" Nodoka asked curious, she was lying next to him on the bed, both of them had been making love for the past few hours.

"Something like that….but I am not sure if my potential bride will accept" James replied while he looked passionately at Nodoka.

Nodoka understood what he was hitting at, but before she could answer a knock on the door was heard.

"F-Father I would like to have a talk with you" Kallen's voice was heard.

Immediately both Nodoka and James jumped up and started getting dressed.

"I've heard of teenage lovers sneaking around behind their parents back, but this is the first time I heard of parents sneaking around their teenagers back." Nodoka said with a chuckle.

"It doesn't bother me one bit" Nodoka replied, James went to the door while Nodoka hid in the bathroom.

"Hey Kallen, sorry I was busy and I couldn't answer the door sooner" James replied and Kallen entered the room.

Whatever Kallen's potential question where before she entered where replaced by a new set of questions after seeing her father's face and glancing at the couch.

"Busy?...I can see, that lipstick really suits you dad." Kallen sarcastically replied.

"Lipstick! I don't have lipstick on me cheek!" James replied flustered.

"Who said I was talking about your cheek?" Kallen answered and James realized that he meant his lips.

"Also that brazier on the couch over there is a dead giveaway" Kallen replied.

"K-Kallen it's not what you think. If you can just let me explain" James added.

"Explain what? There's lipstick on your lips, a bra on your couch, I didn't see you brink any woman from Brittannia with you so there's only one explanation!" Kallen said and she pointed her finger accusingly at James.

"Admit it father, you are…" Kallen paused and James held his breath"…. A drag queen aren't you?" Kallen said greatly embarrassed.

"WHAT?" James said astounded at the accusation.

"_If I tell Kallen the truth, that Nodoka and me slept together the both of us can be shut out of Kallen's heart….and the alternative…is for my daughter to think I am a drag queen?"_ James thought to himself as both answers filled him with dread.

From the bathroom watching and listening from a cracked open door Nodoka could barely contain her laughter and eagerly awaited James's reply.

"Well Kallen sweetie….the truth is…..silk feels really good sometimes" James hesitantly and shamefully replied.

"Bwahahaha hahah ahahah ah ah aha haaaaaaaaaa!" Nodoka suddenly came out bursting with laughter from the bathroom.

"Mother! What are you doing here?" Kallen asked confused.

"Haha….oh Kallen your father's not a drag, we spent the evening together and the bra and lipstick belong to me…and James to your question..is yes…you where ready to switch from shoe's to high heel foe my sake, how can I turn down such a marriage proposal! Bwahahaha hahah ahahah ah ah aha haaaaaaaaaa" Nodoka replied.

"Proposal! The two of you are getting remarried!"Kallen said both in great embarrassment and shock.

"What's with that look on your face Kallen, it seems like your preferred the news of your father being a drag than the two of us getting back together?" Nodoka replied after she stopped laughing.

Kallen didn't replied with words but from the look on her face James could discern one crystal clean answer:"_I am still waging the two against each other"_

At this point James a feeling which James had not felt came back into his body, it was that emotion whci was the effect of a mixture of entrapment and freedom, of frustration and reward,, of happiness and regret at the same time…it was the feeling of family.

**(Geass cult headquarters)**

The Battle above the geass cult now raged on in full fury.

"Rollo, is there any way you can get to the Siegfried?" Lelouch asked him.

"But geass won't work on V.V" Rollo replied.

"Just get onto it. I have a plan for what follows" Lelouch replied.

"Okay, I'll try "Rollo replied and ended the video feed.

"_Rollo, I shall have you and Siegfried vanish together, with the bomb u set on the Vincent."_ Lelouch thought to himself and he readied the remote detonator.

"I'll do this! For brother's sake!" Rollo said to himself as he charged the Siegfried from behind.

The Siegfried turned to face him, it fired a harken but Rollo managed to dodge.

"This time it's you, Rollo? You also lied to me eh? You know that Geass doesn't work on me" V.V said as the Vincent and Siegfried clashed.

**(Geass cult train)**

"Master V.V preparations for evacuation are complete. Shall we run towards the E.U for now?" one occultist asked.

"Yes, I will rejoin you once I take care of these people. Now we know how to capture C.C, if we can escape from this battle, then it will be victory for me and Charles, " V.V replied as the train gates started to open.

**(Skies above the geass cult)**

"If I can just get close enough!" Rollo said as he pushed hard for the Siegfried's surface.

"You were a failure. To think that your heart would go into arrest when you sue Geass..A failure that would die any moment…" V.V said to Rollo over the speakers and with a harken destroyed the Vincent's feet.

"Not yet, if I purge the body parts-" Rollo said as he released what's left of the legs and jumped onto the Siegfried.

"I did it , brother!" Rollo said, but as he grabbed onto the Siegfried V.V activated the energy shields Rollo was in great pain, but he held on.

"Well done Rollo, now all we have to do is" *Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang*

Heavy fire from the ground came damaging the Siegfried, the kinetic energy of the rounds made Rollo loose his grip on the Siegfried and he floated to the ground.

"Who is it? Attacking Siegfried ware of its weak point…" V.V said as he used the zoom to view from where the blasts came from.

"You said you're V.V right? You underestimated me thinking my captivity had me weakened," Cornelia said from the ground at V.V menacingly.

"Forgive me, Brother." Rollo said to Lelouch after he landed his knightmare.

"No don't worry about it."Lelouch replied to Rollo.

Lelouch then activated his speaker sand said:

"Cornelia this is Lelouch, Siegfried's armor has been damaged. Now damage it directly!" he said as he readied the Shinkiro's energy cannon.

"The reason Lelouch almost died, cease to exist…."Cornelia said.

"The source of Geass!"

"The source of Geass!"

They both said in unison and fired at V.V

***Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang**Bang***

"N-No..This Siegfried can no longer.." V.V said as he desperately charged Lelouch, only for the Shinkiro's cannon to hit it and send it flying back to the ground.

"Lelouch, you cursed prince!" V.V said as he crashed towards Cornelia's position.

Jeremiah, who had his knightmare shot down a few minutes ago immediately used his cyborg enhancements to rescue her and move her out of harm's way.

**(Geass cult train)**

"Siegfried…Master V.V" One cultist said

"Calm down, Master V.V has an immortal body. He should be able to use the door of twilight at the lower most level. Now we must take out the research data –" Another cultist said as the train tracks gates opened , only to reveal C.C waiting with her knightmare.

"Forgive me…This is my sin for letting you all run rampant..Therefore the genealogy of Geass shall end here…That's perhaps Lelouch and my…" C.C said with tears as she opened fire on the train destroying it.

**(Near the gate to Akasha)**

"Damn you…..Lelouch…" V.V said as he dragged his injured body to the gate.

V.V looked up and saw his brother.

"Good thing you came, Charles I knew that brothers are the last thing a person can count" V.V replied.

"Brother, is it true you had Rollo try to kill Lelouch in Fukuoka?" Charles asked in a soft voice which was uncharacteristically of him.

"Thanks to that, I invited this reprisal..But…I know Lelouch would come and destroy our plans…there was no other way" V.V replied.

"Brother you lied again.." Charles said disappointed.

**(Middle of the geass cult)**

"Was there really a need to kill these children?" Viletta asked.

"These children would have grown up from seeds today to the threes which sowed destruction tomorrow….even the most honorable ruler must dirty his hands sometimes…."Kewell replied, he understood that sometimes one small evil was necessary for a greater good, he understood, he just didn't like it.

**Lelouch's position…**

"A life reaction? So you went back to your original location, V.V!" Lelouch said as he flew the Shinkiro to where V.V was located, right in front of the Akasha gate.

As he now hovered above V.V a wave of energy washed over him from Akasha.

"What the! No! IT's the same thing from Kamine Island!"

Lelouch said to himself as he found himself transported to Akasha.

"Since..when did I dismount from Shinkiro…and this place? These aren't holograms …"Lelouch said as he looked around confused.

"That is correct!" a booming voice was heard and Lelouch quickly turned his face from where it came from.

"And inelegant items such as Knightmares…before the Sword of Akasha…before this system, are mere…" Charles added.

"You!" Lelouch angrily said to his father.

"My son , Lelouch…The time has come! For redemption!" Charles said to his son.

**Author note read and review **

**Let me know if I should continue.**


	43. Turn XVII: Land of Confusion

Turn XVII: Land of Confusion.

**(Sword of Akasha)**

"It has been some time Lelouch….my son… "Charles said to his son.

"I shall have you answer my question from eight years ago! Why did you not protect mother? When the other members of the royalty viewed her as an eyesore!" Lelouch said as he got behind the Shinkiro for protection.

"Humans are not born equal" was Charles's only answer.

"You have an army, a country and a corporation to do you're biding, you should use that power to discover the answer" Charles replied.

"Are you saying power equals answers?...that may be true, but the way you obtain power is also important, you a son of a bitch who uses that devilish geass to your biding should have never been born!" Lelouch said in frustration at his current situation.

"Is that your verdict? The verdict of the Iron Prince?" Charles said amused.

"It's the verdict of truth! And the truth is only humans should have the power to decide humanities fate, demons like you should just die!" Lelouch spat back.

"Very well…" Charles said and much to Lelouch's shock he took out a gun and shot himself n the chest.

**(Kish Island)**

"I have to go now I am afraid" James said to Nodoka, with his mission to convince Iran to remain neutral a success he now had no more reason to remain here.

"Take care of yourself James" Nodoka said to him.

"I will, and Kallen…..good luck on the field when the war begins" James replied and boarded his plane.

**(Geass cult headquarters)**

"It's been years since we've met face to face V.V, in the end, I wasn't able to escape my fate" C.C said to him.

"I….will…accept that…fate…The fate of immortality" V.V said as he collapsed forward from his wounds.

"This is….V.V you…" C.C said amazed as she got closer to have a good look at V.V

"So, Charles….Because I'm…the elder one here…" V.V said as he passed away while he relived the moment he and Charles made a pact to rid the world of lies.

**(Sword of Akasha)**

"He's dead…..just like that….I wanted to ask him things, I wanted to make him apologize to some, yet…."Lelouch lamented.

"Oh, to whom? How impudent…Lelouch!" Charles said abruptly as he got up and this greatly startled Lelouch.

"Impossible!Your heart was definitely-" Lelouch said now very terrified.

"Strategies, traps, surprise attacks… trying to defeat me using such cheap tricks…Come and face me head on in a deal, through the way of kings, if you wish to succeed the power of kings" Charles said to his son.

Lelouch immediately pulled out his V.A.R.I.S gun and fired at his father, the powerful bullets made wholes as wide as an extended palm, but the instantly healed, much to Lelouch's horror.

"That's more like it! But don't you see, Lelouch? Sword, guns, nothing will be able to kill me now!" he said as he removed his glove to show his son the symbol of immortality.

At this revelation Lelouch suddenly collapsed on his back.

_That man is immortal?...I can't win…there's no way I can win…"_ he thought to himself as he now realized all of his triumphs: The Phoenix Fund, The Black Knights, Fukuoka, Gettysburg, Battle of Bengal rice fields where all now worthless.

"I have obtained a new power to replace Geass. Therefore, Lelouch…I may now tell you, the true form of this world" Charles said as he activated one function of Akasha.

Lelouch found himself in an environment filled with light and what appeared to be hovering masks.

"What is Geass. What are you trying to do?" Lelouch said to Charles who appeared before him.

"Such an Irony, the one who is stained with so many lies desires to know the truth from others…." Charles replied.

"What?" Lelouch asked confused

"What is your true intention for all of your actions up until now? You told the world you wish to usher in a new era of equality, but in truth you wish to destroy the empire and it's foundation from within, the Mask of Zero is nothing more than a big con job" Charles replied to his son.

"Shut up! I gave them hope, I gave them a better life, they get that and I get to obtain my goal!" Lelouch roared out.

"And how many people have died because of you?" one mask said.

"You actions started a chain reaction which through the world into chaos, you have gained power, titles, territory and underlings and you paid that price in blood and lies" another mask said.

"Shut up! Everyone lies, I just did the same, and can you criticize me, when you have done things far worse than myself and for far lesser reasons?" Lelouch countered.

"But can you receive the title of hero, when you yourself know you are not that, can you be called a savior when you did this all for your gain and not for the gain of others, can you even stand to look yourself in the mirror? No! That is why you wear the mask of Zero" a third mask replied.

Lelouch at this was left without a counter for in his heart he knew that what they said was true.

"There is no need for lies. For I am you, and you are me" Charles said as he appeared once again before his son.

"Yes, there is only one human in this world. Be it in the past, present of future there has, is, and will be but one human in the history of humankind…" Charles added.

"One? What are you talking about?" Lelouch asked confused.

"Charles. The time for games has ended already. To me, he no longer holds any value." C.C said as she appeared before them.

"C.C" Lelouch said surprised to see her here.

"There is no need to use him to get me. I am already here" C.C added.

"Indeed, C.C. I shall grant your wish" Charles replied.

"You know C.C's wish?" Lelouch said surprised.

"Lelouch, I shall reveal to you my wish, the wish you could have fulfilled if you accepted my pact…my wish now…My wish is to die, for my existence to end forever." C.C replied

"End? But you are…."

"What lies at the end of Geass for its users…is to succeed the position of the one who bestowed the power on them. In other words, one would obtain the ability to kill me." C.C replied.

"Kill you?"

"Of the many people that have had a pact with me, none were able to attain that goal. However, now there is one-Charles" C.C replied.

"Impossible…You wanted to make a pact with me in order to die?" Lelouch asked.

"Correct." C.C replied.

"You've lived in order to die?" Lelouch asked.

"Therein lies the providence of this world. Such a limit is called life" C.C replied.

"No! There is life because one is alive!" Lelouch replied.

"Same thing. People are aware of life when they are aware of death." C.C replied.

"You're just playing with words!" Lelouch retorted.

"But people do die" she replied.

"Even so, what is the reason…the meaning of birth in this world?" Lelouch asked.

"You know that. Those are nothing but mere illusions" C.C replied.

"A life that just has death is too tragic!" Lelouch replied now desperate to change her mind.

"You don't call endless aggregation of not dying, 'life'. That is merely an experience" C.C replied much to Lelouch's shock.

"If you have a reason to live, then kill me, Oh! I forgot you refused geass, you did not compromise, you always had to follow some shallow code of Chivalry, Farewell Lelouch" C.C said and he activated a device which made him leave the respective area.

They were now back at the sword of Akasha.

"Charles, why did you take away V.V's Code?" C.C asked.

"Is there any meaning to your question? You are about to embrace death" Charles replied.

"You're right…"C.C replied.

**(Dallas Laboratories)**

"Forgive me tardiness. I was speaking with Nunnally" Schneizell said as he walked into the monitor room.

There Nina and the other scientists where testing the now first prototype for F.L.E.Y.A, a weapon which could only be described as giving a light as beautiful as heaven and making destruction as gruesome as hell

**(Geass cult)**

"Father is the one leading these cultists?" Cornelia said to Lelouch's lieutenants.

"Yes your highness" Jeremiah replied.

"…well this is surprising even for him, also I heard he had some mad plan from those hear, anyway where's Lelouch?" Cornelia asked.

"He went hunting for the leader, he turned off his I.F.F to avoid detection, he will probably appear again after he is done" Omar said to her.

"Cornelia-sama there is one thing I need to ask you…" Suzaku said as he took a step forward"….our actions today is a clear sign of secret rebellion against the Emperor, for now he may need us for the upcoming war with the Slayers, but what happens after that is obvious…what I am asking is whose side of the barricade will you grace be then?" Suzaku said bluntly.

At this everyone was tense and an eerie silence came over them as they waited to know if she would be friend of foe.

**(Sword of Akasha)**

Lelouch had just finished viewing the memories C.C gave him of her life and as he woke up he saw that Charles was trying to absorb her Code.

"What are you doing C.C? You want to die you say, don't be ridiculous! You said that we where partners in everything, are you going to relinquish your part of the bargain?" Lelouch said as he powered up his Shinkiro as he found himself inside of it once more.

"Not only that but you die to yourself, you say you want to die, but no creature has the right to think like that, what you desire isn't death but an end to your loneliness, so I will grant that for you!" Lelouch added and he fired the Shinkiro into the Akasha pillars, this stopped Charles's Code absorption and Lelouch quickly rescued C.C and he left the now crumbling sword of Akasha.

**(Slayers video conference private secure channel)**

"So with that Iran will remain neutral in the coming conflict, it's unfortunate but on the bright side Germany is with us now and that should even the playing fields for our side" Todoh said.

"Unfortunately for Germany's assistance we had to give Kusakabe the position of Minister of Defense, will we be alright with him in charge?" Ohgi asked.

"Don't worry! With my position as Chairwoman I outrank him and will be able to control him, more importantly what will be our strategy for the coming war?" Kaguya answered.

"Our strategy is the following: we will divide our forces into two, a third of them will remain in our territory to act as rear guards, the other two thirds will launch a full scale assault on Japan, our main targets are, Tokyo and Kyushu" Xingke replied.

"Kyushu will be necessary for our supply lines, but if necessary we can manage without it, Tokyo is the main export route of Sakuradite from Japan, without it Brittannia will not be able to resupply their armies and their war machines will come to a halt" Todoh added.

"Who will lead these two armies?" Ohgi asked.

"I will lead the Kyushu force, General Todoh will lead the Tokyo force." Xingke replied.

"IS there not the danger of Brittannia invading our territory as we commit most of our forces to Japan, and even without the sakuradite supply lines they could continue to advance?" Kaguya asked.

"There is that danger, but if we manage to capture Tokyo than the various Area's will revolt, Brittannia cannot sustain a war while they are fasted with such instability at home and we will be the victors" Todoh replied.

"Then the decisive battle is in Tokyo now and this time we must settle things once and for all with Zero-sama" Kaguya replied and everyone knew this would be the decisive hour.

**(Geass cult)**

"Everyone this is Lelouch, I've finis taking down the enemy leader, but my knightmare is drained, I am sending you the signal now to retrieve me" Lelouch replied.

C.C who up until now had been faint from Charles actions woke up.

"Are..are you my master?" C.C said now very frightened.

"My name is Elisabeth, I am good at sowing, some cooking, taking water to the animals…" she said to Lelouch.

In all this had been one fucked up day and Lelouch was now more shocked and confused than he had ever been in his life.

**Microsoft Encarta **

_The upcoming battle of Tokyo was to be one of the most controversial in modern military history_

_Despite it's official naming it had various other names given by historians_

_The Empire calls it: The Empire's Austerlitz, Zero's perfect battle._

_The U.F.N calls it: Lelouch's Waterloo, Todoh's second miracle_

_But there is a fifth name for it which it had received from those who participated in it:_

_The Titanomachy a battle so great and so powerful it seemed as though heaven and hell itself joined in the fray and fought each other on that field with the armies of the slayers and the Black Knights_

_For the first time in history the words" Battle that shook the world to the core would gain a literal meaning._

**Author's note :Read and Review, let me know is I should continue.**


	44. Turn XVIII: War and Peace

Turn XVIII: War and Peace.

**Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia.**

"_The year 1805 could in essence be named the year of infamy because of it's consequences._

_Two months before his decisive battle tu Austerlitz Napoleon took command of the French and Spanish Fleet and engaged the enemy at Trafalgar, the emperor remembering Nelson's prowess at the Battle of the Nile decided that he 'would test the merit of this English aristocrat"_

_That day was filled with an unusual cold wind which chilled to the bone._

_Nelson's tactic was that while the French would traditionally align their fleet in a horizontal line, he would hit them with two vertical lines, one too cut the French in two and the second to envelope and destroy one of the half's, this was a variation of the wedge formation attack used in land warfare._

_Against a normal soldier it would work, but not against Napoleon._

_Nelson deployed his ships and initially made a feint towards the French then both columns raced towards the center, Napoleon upon seeing this immediately realized Nelson's plan to pound the front of the French Ships with the English side cannons, the most effective way to win a naval battle._

_Napoleon then did the unthinkable, he ordered the center to turn so 90 degrees, this nullified Nelsons'' indentations, the two left wings of the fleet where then to envelope the enemy from the sides, in the confusion in which Nelson and his flagship found themselves when they engaged the Bucentaure made it impossible for him to receive information, and he could not relay orders until it was too late Napoleon's ships upon encircling the English fleet now started to fire them from the side as they passed and in doing so they applied Nelson's intention of hitting the front or rear of the enemy with the side of your own ship against him._

_In 40 minutes the battle was over, Nelson was brought before Napoleon and it was recorded that upon meeting him Napoleon said :"They tell me ,are you Nelson?"_

_At which Nelson replied "I am afraid I am"_

_Napoleon then left the fleet and joined his Grande Armee to fight at Austerlitz._

_After Trafalgar and Austerlitz Napoleon would invade England, Ireland and Scotland, the Emperor then waged a constant defensive was against Russia, but he hesitated to go invade it, some say that cold day at Trafalgar put the fear of mother nature into him._

_The financial strain of the war made Napoleon put great taxes and military conscripts on the countries of Europe, the remainder of the various defeated armies of Europe and peasants who suffered at the hands of Napoleon all made a great exodus to America, the last sanctuary of the old order._

_Since Napoleon's government was a sort of Republic initially, great antirepublican sentiment appeared, whenever a Brittannian asked why he would serve an autocratic monarchial Empire instead of a democratic Republic the answer would always be " Monarchy Breeds Kings, Democracy Breeds Mongrels like Bonaparte._

_And so that was how the Holy Brittannian Empire was born._

_Before Waterloo Napoleon made plans for an expedition to America to finish the job, but he died before it could be put in to practice._

_As he lay dying it was recorded that he said "Finish the job Ney, if we let them go today, they will come back tomorrow"_

**(Tokyo government Building)**

Lelouch and Cornelia where with the other Black Knight commanders and that of Cornelia's army in a meeting to decide the future.

"The plans for the coup seem well made, but in order for us to have success father must be absent, are you sure that he was still in that strange room when you departed from it Lelouch?" Cornelia said.

After Akasha Lelouch had told them, minus Schneizell, Euphie and Nunnally everything about Geass or at least his version of it, at this point it was useless to conceal it from them, Schneizell was left out because he being the second most powerful man in Brittannia probably knew of it, and from that Lelouch advice they do not tell him since he must ne directly or indirectly involved with Geass, and as for Euphie and Nunnally the collective agreed that the innocent should not carry this burden

"Positive..also we should focus our attention to the upcoming war, we should leave the coup for after it, since it would be seen as a bad omen if the king was deposed in the middle of a war" Lelouch replied.

"Agreed, for our strategy we have the following: Half off our forces including those which are arriving from the mainland will defend Japan, the other half will invade the U.F.N from our territories in Asia and Europe" Darlton added.

"The 8th army will be moved to Tokyo and along with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Black Knights army be its defense, Myself and Kewell will guard Kyushu" Viletta added.

"Also there is something you all should know, I received a report from Schneizell that he developed some kind of super bomb and it is scheduled to arrived in a few weeks" Cornelia added.

"Regardless of whatever monstrosity Schneizell has created this time we must not depend on raw power or superior technology, it is safe to assume that the enemy also has something up his sleeve and we should not get overconfident with that." Lelouch said to those assembled.

A few minutes later the meeting was adjourned and Lelouch decided to something unconventional and so he got in his limousine.

As soon as he entered the car he closed his eyes in exhaustion.

"Had a rough day? I suppose so with your responsibilities" a female voice said and Lelouch immediate opened his eyes and was surprised to see to whom in belonged too.

"Shirley ! Rivals! What are you doing here and why are you in a Black Knight uniform?" Lelouch asked puzzled, Rivals was in the drivers seat

"Well….you see…"Shirley said as she fidgeted with her finger in embarrassment.

"Well Shirley got tired of you not hanging with us anymore so she asked to join the Black Knight and it now she's your aid du camp" Millie's voice was heard from right next to the car.

"Millie! What do you think this is? Some club? This is war!" Lelouch angrily spat out, but upon seeing the disappointed look on Shirley's face he immediately mellowed down.

"….The basic job for an aide is that when I give an order he transmits that order to my officers, if you fell you are up to the task you can keep the job, but while we are in the presence of soldiers you will address me as sir, you will not call me Lulu, is that understood Lieutenant Fenette?" Lelouch added and at this Shirley eagerly said yes and saluted…with her left hand.

**(Suzaku's room)**

After a long day in meetings Suzaku was looking forward to a nice afternoon nap, when a knock on the door was heard.

He went to answer it and was surprised to see Euphie at the door.

"Euphie! What are you doing here?" he asked as she entered his room.

"What do you mean? Can't a girl visit her boyfriend?" she said as she placed her arms around his shoulders.

"But….but your sisters here….if she finds us…ugh…" Suzaku protested but as interrupted by a sudden kiss from Euphie, a moment later they were both on the bed, unknown to Suzaku it was the very reason why Cornelia was hear that she decided to visit him, the thrill of getting caught and all.

**(Tokyo park)**

Lelouch along with Rivals, Shirley and Jeremiah where all in the park, Jeremiah was wearing a Jeremiah mask, Lelouch was in his Zero costume, the thing was nobody thought he was the real deal since he was selling balloons in the shape of the Black Knights command knightmares.

"Are you really Zero mister? " a little girl asked him innocently.

"Why yes my dear lady, it is I Zero the Man of Miracles which destroys nations and rebuilds them!" Lelouch said, the only problem was that he was making it such a hammy performance that everyone present laugh their ass off.

After the balloons had in most part been sold, with the exception of Jeremiah's Siegfried which he was selling, Lelouch, Rivals, Shirley where sitting on a bench and relaxing.

"Well this was unexpected! Not that I don't mind, but why did you come here to sell balloons Lelouch?" Rivals asked his friend.

"Redemption" Lelouch replied.

"Redemption?" Shirley asked.

"Yes…redemption…I have made many sins by fighting in this war, made many enemies with my reforms, and spilled gallons of blood with my army, I wanted to see if some good really came out of all my actions…..just look at this city, a man from two years ago would thing it was from eight years ago from before the invasion…and I wanted to see if the people both numbers and citizens are happy under my reign" Lelouch replied and to this both Shirley and Rivals where surprised, Shirley for her part her heart skipped a beat, upon hearing Lelouch's confession.

Jeremiah for his part was sulking.

"_It's true that the Prince as my leader has a greater fan base than me, and it's true that the Lancelots are cooler than the Siegfried, but….."_ Jeremiah lamented as he remembered that almost every customer he had when he asked for a balloon he said I want one of the Orange's.

"I want a flying Orange "

"_It's not an Orange, it's called the Siegfried!" _

"I want a mecha Orange!"

"_It's not an Orange, it's called the Siegfried!" _

"I want super Orange!"

"_It's not an Orange, it's called the Siegfried!" _

"_Is the name Siegfried really so hard to remember!"_ Jeremiah screamed in his head.

Just then a woman came next to him and said.

"I'd like one Siegfried balloon please"

At this Jeremiah snapped, he got up to his feet and said

"IT'S NOT A SIEGFRIED, ITS' CALLED THE ORANGE!" and upon immediately realizing what he said he snapped.

"Did…did I just, oh dam it!" he said lamenting that he had just acknowledged his citrus nature.

Just then he looked and saw that his customer was Sayoko.

"Ah, Sayoko-san, which one would you like" he said as he gave her a ribbon to tie on whichever balloon she liked.

At this Sayoko smiled, and tied the balloon on Jeremiah's collar button and said "I want this one".

She then started walking away from the scene, dragging Jeremiah along.

"But…but miss Sayoko!" Jeremiah now protested, while he blushed greatly from his situation.

"Marshall Jeremiah, you are my prisoner, if you protest I will punish you!" She said softly and at this Jeremiah surrendered and let Sayoko drag him off 'for interrogation'.

**(Streets of Tokyo)**

Diethard Reed was going round the military camps in the city and interviewing the soldiers fro the upcoming war.

"So what do you think about facing the Slayers one more time?" he asked one Brittannian infantry man.

"Why we will whip them! Always have always will !" He said much to the approval of those around him.

"And you soldier, which regiment are you from and what is your opinion?" he asked Naoto Kan.

"761st and damn proud of it!" he replied.

"Hell Yeah!" the other members of the regiment cheered for their comrade.

"What I don't get is why everyone is so afraid of the Slayers, the only thing they slay is their own reputation" Naoto added and every soldier around all got a good laugh out off that.

"I don't mean to be rude, but what gives you such high confidence?" Diethard asked.

"Well the Iron Prince is with us and that sir is the reason we shall win this!" Lieutenant Hagen said to Diethard.

"Awhooooooooooo!" the other members of the regiment shouted is compliance the Black Battle cry with Hagan's words.

"_As far as moral seems to be concerned that is no problem"_ Reed said to himself as e continued to interview the soldiers.

**(Suzaku's room)**

"Hey Kururugi, about your relationship with my sister I have come to a decision…." Cornelia said as she entered his room…

….only to see Suzaku lying on his bed with Euphie on top of him, obviously in the horse ridding position on his lap.

"S-Sister Cornelia…..nice to see you today." Euphie said to Cornelia who was momentarily stoned from what she just saw.

**(Base knightmare lounge)**

Guilford, Darlton, George and Omar where all playing poker when the storm hit.

"…..YOU WILL BE CRUCIFIED!" Cornelia's voice was heard screaming in the entire base, and then they saw three bodies run past the door to the lounge.

"What was that?" Guilford asked

"Looked like Suzaku in his underwear being chased by Princess Cornelia with an axe and Princess Euphemia following them" Omar replied and immediately they all gave chase upon realizing the situation.

"Wait Princess don't kill Kururugi!" Darlton screamed.

"Yeah and if you have to beat him up aim for his head, it's the least thing he uses most of the time, but let the rest of his body alone!" George added.

**(Outside the Government Bureau)**

"Since both of you are now my aides I will tell you your respective ranks and responsibilities" Lelouch said to Rivals and Shirley.

"Both of you have the rank of Lieutenant, your jobs will be to get whatever documents I need, get whatever food or drink I require and transmit to my staff whatever order I have for my units, also when in the presence of my soldiers you will address me as Sir, Grand Marshall, you will not address me as Lelouch without that title….and not under any circumstance are any of you too address me as Lulu" Lelouch said as he eyeballed Shirley.

"Well that doesn't sound to be too hard; I think we can do it, right Shirley!" Rivals said at which Shirley gave a nod.

"…..YOU WILL BE CRUCIFIED!" Cornelia's voice was heard by Lelouch and the other two.

"Looks like the cats out of the bag….." Lelouch lamented to himself, for Lelouch being as blind in matter to love as he was had a few days ago realized the nature of Euphie and Suzaku's relationship, that combined with the fact that Euphie and Suzaku had sex in his room, while he was unknown to them still in the shower helped a lot.

"If you will excuse me I have a knight to save from a witch" Lelouch said to a confused Rivals and Shirley.

**(Within the Hall's of the government facility)**

Suzaku by now had caught a blow from Cornelia's axe with his two hands.

"I told you what would happen if you seduced my little sister and I keep my promises!" Cornelia angrily said to him.

"Sister stop it, Suzaku didn't seduce me!" Euphie said to her.

"How can you say that after what I just saw a moment ago?" Cornelia replied.

"Because I was the one who seduced him!" Euphie replied and at this the most unexpected reaction came from Cornelia.

At first an eerie silence fell the room, Lelouch and the other from the lounge had also arrived and needless to say had heard Euphie's statement.

"Eu…Euphie….my little Euphie" Cornelia said as she dropped the axe and with tears streaming down her eyes hugged Euphie.

"My little angel has now left that world and has entered the world of adult, oh why….why did you have to grow up Euphie, Bwaaaa haaa haaaaa haaaaaa" Cornelia said as tears streamed down her eyes and Euphie pated her on the back.

"And you!" Cornelia suddenly said towards Suzaku.

"You better take good care of her, if I find one hair missing on her head I will remove your legs…all three of them!" Cornelia threatened him, which made Euphie jump in delight since it meant she accepted their relationship.

Just then Nunnally entered the room and she picked up a strange wibe in the air.

"Did I miss something?" she asked innocently and people where curious at how to answer to such an innocent question.

**(A few hours latter Lelouch private room)**

C.C was very hesitantly, then with great appetite eating a pizza which Lelouch had brought her, he was amazed at just how great a difference in terms of personality she now was.

"Eh…..master won't you have some?" C.C asked still hesitantly.

"Don't worry about me, I am becoming satisfied just watching you" Lelouch replied with a smile, to think C.C could be so feminine.

Just then a great Shadow Loomed over the air and Lelouch's phone rang.

This meant two things: Schneizell had brought the new model knightmares and reinforcements from the mainland here and Diethard had phoned him to let him know the U.F.N opening ceremony had commenced

"Yes, did you finish what I asked you to? Weary well, be ready to activated it on my precise signal." Lelouch said and he turned on the TV.

**(Television Broadcast Worldwide)**

"Basically, through the ratification of the U.F.N charter, a very large alliance of states rivaling our nation will be born" Millie said as she was Hi Tv's newscaster.

"The allied states plan…as we expected" Canon said to his liege.

"But they lack cooperation between the armies by each country, they're nothing but a disorganized mob" Bismarck replied.

"No there is one way to remedy that." Schneizell replied.

"And Lastly , U.F.N charter paragraph 17: States that have ratified the U.F.N Charter must forever resign their right to independent military power. In addition, in an agreement with the armed organization the Slayers they will become the military force of the U.F.N" Kaguya said to the world.

"Lady Kaguya w thank you." Xingke said and the camera showed him and Todoh and the other members of the Slayers and Xingke's faction as they ranks where broadcast.

"And now the for the first motion, My country Japan is unjustly occupied by a foreign country, will the council support me in liberating it?" Kaguya asked.

At this the council all voted yes.

"Then we march to Japan!" Todoh roared out and a great cheer came from the crowd.

Just then Lelouch gave Diethard the signal and immediately the U.F.N broadcast signal was taken over by Brittannia and to the surprise delegates on Pengai Island a song and video montage was heard.

**Broken lines broken strings**

The U.F .N boasts at being the land without corruption and injustice **  
Broken threads broken springs**

80% of the Asian member so the cabinet supported the high Eunuch's, during their reign over 2 billion people suffered and 100 million people starved to death.

In the former U.F.N over a million people made antiwar movements, they where responded with police attacks and their syndicate leaders were arrested.

**Broken idols broken heads**

**People sleeping in broken beds**

Kusakabe who took people hostage at Sawasaki is now the Minister of Defense.

**Ain't no use jiving  
Ain't no use joking  
Everything is broken.**

Broken bottles broken plates  
Broken switches broken gates  
Broken dishes broken parts

The Slayers military actions at Sea allowed Sawasaki to conquer Kyushu and turn it into a hellhole for a year

**Streets are filled with broken hearts  
Broken words never meant to be spoken  
Everything is broken.**

Seem like every time you stop and turn around

On the same day the Slayers signed the SAZ treaty they send a military force to fight against Zero and because of that he was placed in a coma for a year.

**Something else just hit the ground  
Broken cutters broken saws  
Broken buckles broken laws**

The Slayers during their escape brought an Ice Berg carrier to attack the Black Knights fleet, therefore breaking international treaties and bringing armed weapons into territorial waters

**Broken bodies broken bones  
Broken voices on broken phones**

Over 10 million people were sent to labor camps in Sawasaki's reign

**Take a deep breath feel like you're chokin'  
Everything is broken.**

Everytime you leave and go off someplace

Where is the lack of corruption?

**Things fall to pieces in my face**

Where is the equality?

**Broken hands on broken ploughs**

Where is justice?**  
**

**Broken treaties broken vows**

Where is the honor?

**Broken pipes broken tools**

Where are the people's rights?

**People bending broken rules**

Where is democracy?

**Hound dog howling bullfrog croaking**

Not with the U.F.N.

**Everything is broken.**

The transmission as cut off finally by the broadcast crew, but by then the damaged had been done.

**A few hours latter…**

Lelouch being pleased than his plan to demoralize them had worked he immediately went out to address the army, since Cornelia was no longer Chief of Staff and Lelouch was now Grand Marshall, technically he outranked her.

"Attention!" Viletta's voice was heard and the troops al complied as Lelouch walked on the podium, saluted and started his address.

"At ease." He replied.

"It has always been my belief that a person must choose a path in life and follow that path with all his heart to the bitter end…you have chosen to follow the path of me as your commander, and although I feel that I am unworthy of the great thrust you have placed in me I will nevertheless do my job to the best of my abilities" Lelouch said with a light bow of the Torso much to the cheers and happiness of the troops.

"And as for the army which is coming to great us, I understand we have approximately 1.5 million men defending Japan, the enemy has 2. Million coming this way, so it will be 4 to 3 odds in their favor, they come at us in the same old style and we shall receive them in the same old style….WE SHALL BLOOW THEM TO SMITEREENS"

"HURRAH!" the Black Knights, Cornelia's eight army and the Britannia reinforcements all shouted.

Lelouch then mounted his horse and paraded in front of the army, each time he passed one commander he would say something

"Who's going to slice up Xingke?" Kewell roared out

"**Our old man!" the soldiers cheered.**

"Who's going to give Sam Slayer a slap back to sobriety?" Viletta said

"**Our old man!" the soldiers cheered.**

"Who's the beak that will peck the Guren's bun?" Suzaku said, the hidden meaning only he and Lelouch and Nunnally knew.

"**Our old man!" the soldiers cheered.**

"Who makes Burn in Hell a reality for our enemies?" Jeremiah said.

"**Our old man!" the soldiers cheered.**

"Who's' the boy with a fish bowl on his head?" Darlton said in good humor

"**Our old man!" the soldiers cheered.**

"Who's' the boy whose going to kick the Slayers' arse? " Cornelia roared out.

"**Our old maaaaaaaaaaan!" the soldiers cheered.**

"Lelouch!" Charles voice suddenly was heard and his imaged appeared on the Tv screen behind Lelouch greatly surprising him.

"So Lelouch you have finally reached the tipping point…I AM MOST REJOICE TO HEAR OF THIS MY SON! THE WORLD NO IS DIVIDED BETWEEN BRITTANNIA AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT, FIGHT MY SONS AND DAUGHTER, COMPETE AND IN THIS BATTLE YOU WILL WIN EVERYTHING OR LOOSE EVERYTHING. AL HIAL BRITTANNIA!" Charles roared pout.

AL HIAL BRITTANNIA!"

AL HIAL BRITTANNIA!"

AL HIAL BRITTANNIA!"

The soldiers in the empire roared

Todoh from the Slayers army which were watching the Broadcast raised his sword and shouted:

_Nippon Banzai!"_ and his troops also started shouting it.

_Nippon Banzai!"_

AL HIAL BRITTANNIA!"

_Nippon Banzai!"_

AL HIAL BRITTANNIA!"

_Nippon Banzai!"_

AL HIAL BRITTANNIA!"

_Nippon Banzai!"_

AL HIAL BRITTANNIA!"

_Nippon Banzai!"_

AL HIAL BRITTANNIA!"

_Nippon Banzai!"_

AL HIAL BRITTANNIA!"

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

(A**uthors note: Listen to Ashokan Farewell when reading this part**

Before the great battles which would engulf the world in a few weeks time, Lieutenant Hagan of the 501st division wrote the following to his wife:

"_July 14__th__ 2019, Tokyo city_

_Dear Sarah, the indications are very strong that we in a few days we shall have a fight on our hands, perhaps tomorrow, My Master Sergeant Naoto who is also my dear friend thinks so, unless is should not be able to write you again, I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I am no more._

_I have no misgivings about or lack of confidence in the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter, I know how our Empire now leans upon the Triumph of the Black Knights, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of war and I am willing, perfectly willing to lay down all my joys in this life to help obtain victory for the Black Knights_

_And to pay that debt, Sarah my love for you is doubtless, it seems to bind me with mighty cables which nothing but omnipotence can break, and yet my love of country comes over me like a strong wind and bares me irresistibly with all those chains to the battlefield._

_The memories of all the blissful moments I have enjoyed with you come crowding over me, and I fell most deeply to God and you that I've enjoyed them or so long, and how hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years of happiness, when God willing we might have still lived and loved together and se our boys grow up to honorable manhood around us, if I do not return my dear Sarah, never forget how much I loved you, nor that when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield it will whisper your name._

_Forgive my many faults and the many pains I may have caused you, how thoughtless, how foolish I have sometimes been, but oh Sarah if the dead can come back to this earth and fled unseen around those they love, I shall always be with you in the Brightest day and the darkest night, always..always… and when the soft breeze fan your cheek it shall be my breath where the cool hair on your throbbing temple it shall be my spirit passing by._

_Sarah do not mourn my dead, think I am gone and wait for me, for we shall meet again…._

Lieutenant George Hagan was killed weeks later at the Battle o f Tokyo….

**Read and review let me know is I should continue.**


	45. Turn XIX: Apocalypse now Part I

Turn XIX: Apocalypse Now Part I.

**Apocalypse  
by Richard Realf**

**Straight to his heart the bullet crushed;  
Down from his breast the red blood gushed,  
And o'er his face a glory rushed.**

A sudden spasm shook his frame,  
And in his ears there went and came  
A sound as of devouring flame.

Which in a moment ceased, and then  
The great light clasped his brows again,  
So that they shone like Stephen's when

Saul stood apart a little space  
And shook with shuddering awe to trace  
God's splendors settling o'er his face.

Thus, like a king, erect in pride,  
Raising clean hands toward heaven, he cried:  
"All hail the Stars and Stripes!" and died.

Died grandly. But before he fell—  
(O blessedness ineffable!)  
Vision apocalyptical

Was granted to him, and his eyes,  
All radiant with glad surprise,  
Looked forward through the Centuries,

And saw the seeds which sages cast  
In the world's soil in cycles past,  
Spring up and blossom at the last;

Saw how the souls of men had grown,  
And where the scythes of Truth had mown  
Clear space for Liberty's white throne;

Saw how, by sorrow tried and proved,  
The blackening stains had been removed  
Forever from the land he loved;

Saw Treason crushed and Freedom crowned,  
And clamorous Faction, gagged and bound,  
Gasping its life out on the ground.

With far-off vision gazing clear  
Beyond this gloomy atmosphere  
Which shuts us out with doubt and fear

He—marking how her high increase  
Ran greatening in perpetual lease  
Through balmy years of odorous Peace

Greeted in one transcendent cry  
Of intense, passionate ecstasy  
The sight which thrilled him utterly;

Saluting, with most proud disdain  
Of murder and of mortal pain,  
The vision which shall be again!

So, lifted with prophetic pride,  
Raised conquering hands to heaven and cried:  
"All hail the Stars and Stripes!" and died.

**Apocalypse  
by Richard Realf**

**(Lelouch's room, a few minutes after the emperor's appearance)**

"Damn that Old Fart! How the hell did he escape that place?" Lelouch angrily shouted.

C.C innocently offered him a slice of Pizza which she saved for him, he angry at the sudden turn of events without intention shoved her to the ground in his tirade to blow off steam.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Lelouch said as he rushed to her aid and helped her.

"It's alright….i know you didn't mean it…also wounds of the body are nothing when compared to wounds of the souls" C.C said in a shy and happy voice and Lelouch was once again surprised at this C.C

**(Four days later, Governor Building Ball room)**

There was a small party for the head officers of the army being held and Euphie was happily dancing with Suzaku.

"Does he have no sense of shame, having his arms all round her like that!" Cornelia said to Schneizell who was besides her.

"They are young and in love, also the waltz is danced like that" Schneizell replied unfazed.

"Also Cornelia you should watch to keep Suzaku safe on the field." Schneizell said to her.

"Why are you so concerned for his well being?" she asked.

"It would be a shame if Euphie would have to wear a black vale, before she wears a white one." Schneizell replied as he sipped some champagne.

"Of course not! Euphie is actually planning to propose to him! She confided in me that this way you would accept it, and I am afraid we will have too, I feel if we refuse her this time she is likely to elope of something like that" Schneizell said to a now broken Cornelia.

"You…you mean to say he proposed to her! "Cornelia said shocked.

**After the party…..**

Lelouch went to Shirley's room to pick up a report he asked her to make a few hours ago.

After she let him in and gave him the report she went to the freshener as he reviewed it.

"When will the enemy army arrive?" she asked.

"From their current speed I say that they should arrive here by tomorrow morning" Lelouch replied as he took his gaze from the report and saw that Shirley had returned from the freshener and was wearing a negligee.

"S-Shirley what are you doing?" Lelouch asked.

"Will many people die tomorrow?" Shirley asked.

"Yes…." Lelouch replied

"D you know how many or who will die?"She said as she stepped closer to him.

"I don't know." Lelouch replied.

"Do you think you will die?" Shirley asked.

"I don't know…" he replied.

"Do you think I will die?" Shirley asked now looking straight into his eyes.

"I don't know…." He said and he saw that she was now trembling, involuntarily he hugged her to comfort her and with this tears and cries of fear came strolling down her cheeks.

"That's what scares me…that you or I or any of our friends might not live t o see tomorrow, so for tonight please….please stay with me…" Shirley said and at this Lelouch lowered his head and gave her a kiss, what followed rest was only natural.

For Shirley although tomorrow would be hell, tonight she would experience heaven with the man she loves.

**(The next day Tokyo, Black Knights first line of defense)**

Nunnally and Euphie where at the Field hospital and where preparing themselves to help the eventual wounded which would come once the battle would start.

"Nunnally.." Euphie said to her.

"Yes sister?" Nunnally replied.

"After this war is over I intend to get engaged to Suzaku, I can handle Sister Cornelia, but will you help me with Lelouch?" Euphie said to her.

"He of course, us girls have to stick together!" Nunnally said as she clasped Euphie's hand.

Although she approved of their relationship and was not surprised at what she just heard she could tell that Euphie was trying to get her mind away from the upcoming horror which they would soon life through.

***Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang*

An artillery duel between Odysseus's cannons and The Slayers ships guns had started now that the invasion force had reached its destination

The shapes of the ten Iceberg carriers became clear as the morning light flooded the horizon, The Empire's army formed out of Numbers, brittannians and Russian where all aligned around the harbor region now held their breath and cocked their guns waiting for the landing craft to come into range

The army was in the following order assembled:

The Battle hardened veterans of the Black Knights who fought in India where on the left flank, Cornelia's legendary 8th army was on the left flank, the center was formed with Jeremiah's second army on the left side of the center and George and Omar's third army on the left of the center.

**(Ikaruga bridge)**

"He is clever" Todoh said from his Zangetsu through the communications channel to Ohgi who was on the bridge.

"He has concentrated his forces on the beaches and intends to cut our forces while they land, thankfully we prepared for such a situation" Todoh added and Ohgi gave the order to activated the Snare.

All of a sudden Gefjun generators which had secretly been placed around the Tokyo countryside where activated blocking the Imperial army.

With this Todoh gave the order for the troops to start landing.

**(Imperial army's position)**

"What the devil is going on?" Cornelia said through the private channel.

"It looks like they have some kind of Gefjun field around the city..tgh…I didn't expect such a move from them." Lelouch said surprised that they had employed such a tactic.

"Regardless we must not falter: All eight generation frame take to the sky and destroy those Gefjun generators!" Lelouch ordered and he, Suzaku, Jeremiah, George, Omar, Cornelia, Darlton, Guilford and the Gladstone knights too k forward to do so.

**(Slayers position)**

"All Gefjun immune units start towards the advancing air units and protect the Gefjun generators, artillery units continue to hammer the enemy army!" Tosoh ordered to his men and they complied.

**(Tokyo tower, Odysseus command post)**

"Can't target? What do you mean can't target?" Kuribayashi said to one of their radar operatives.

"I am afraid General that the enemies devices have completely scrambled our radar, our cannons are now blind" the operative replied, the seriousness of the situation was not absent from his tone of voice.

"Young people Today! Come with me Ito !" Odysseus said as he rushed out the door and grabbed with him a pair of Binoculars and a radio.

"Where to commander?" Kuribayashi said to Odysseus.

"To the top of the building, since we can't use field radar you and I must coordinate the artillery with visuals from the tops of the building" Odysseus replied as the both of them ran up to the roof.

**(Tokyo harbor)**

The current situation was grim for Lelouch and Cornelia, Lelouch had once again expanded his Druid system shield and was keeping the now paralyzed imperial army shielded from enemy artillery,, the enemy landing crafts where just outside the Gefjun field and where also firing into the shield.

"_The situation is bad! Todoh, the Shiseiken and Kallen are keeping the others busy, my shield won't last for much long….at the rate this is going it will be checkmate soon for us"_ Lelouch said to himself, he right about now could have used the knights of rounds as back up, But Schneizell had took the knights and the reinforcements to Kyushu to sue against Xingke, he said that he trusted Lelouch would hold Tokyo.

"_Now SOMEONE AKNOLEDGES MY TALENTS!"_ he said to himself in frustration.

Just then Suzaku's frame flight system was disabled by Kallen and the still functioning, but flightless Lancelot now made a rough landing nears Lelouch's position.

"Suzaku you OK?" Lelouch asked his friend.

"Y-Yeah…LOOK OUT!" Suzaku said as Kallen now fired a radiation surge beam at the Druid system shield, not directly at Lelouch, but it still hit the shield, the Shinkiro's shield now was being heavily depleted and soon would be gone.

"Is this how it ends? Is this all that your are capable Lelouch?" Todoh said to himself a bit flabbergasted that things were going so well.

Just then above the sky George and Omar seeing the danger Kallen was to the shield quickly pulled out one famous maneuvers which surprisingly was from comic books.

George crouched into a ball in mid air and Omar grabbed him and threw him at Kallen.

"I AM WOLVERINE!" George shouted as he impacted Kallen and her Guren S.E.I.T.E.N they both hit the ground forming a crater.

George and his Lancelot jumped out of the carter and he said.

"And that was one fast ball special, courtesy of the X-Men!"

"A tad tada tararar tararar a tararar tararar a tararar tararar a" George singed as he started clapping his hands and tap dancing around the carter where Kallen was still inside.

" tad tada tararar tararar a tararar tararar a tararar tararar a"

"Is he doing what I think he is doing?" Suzaku said to Lelouch.

"A tad tada tararar tararar a tararar tararar a tararar tararar a"

"Yep! He is doing a Mexican sombrero dance around an impact crater!" Lelouch said and he could not help but smile, that scene was 100% George Patton!

"Ole!" George said as he stopped dancing.

*Bang* Kallen took her now heavily damaged but still operable Guren from the crater and punched George's frame so hard he went flying into a building.

*Bang* Boom**Bang* Boom**Bang* Boom**Bang* Boom*

As Kallen just sucker punched George a round of artillery volleys was heard and the Gefjun Field started collapsing.

**Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia.**

_There were many memorable performances on both sides that day at the 'Titanomachy' but the most distinguished was that of Prince Odysseus._

_He along with Brigadier Kuribayashi climbed to the top of Tokyo tower and with a simple binocular and radio directed the artillery fire of more than 1.000 cannons upon the Gefjun generators._

_This masterful use of artillery combined with the fact that the Generators where at least ten miles away from the city limits and heavy enemy air fire was present makes Odysseus and Kuribayashi's' actions nothing short of extraordinary._

_Within a few minutes the generators were destroyed and the Imperial army could now be saved._

**(Lelouch position)**

"Sister lead the army to retreat to the second defensive line, I will use my shield to act as a rear guard for as long as I can" Lelouch ordered, but just as that was being handled Kallen immediately charged the shield once more.

She raised her claw and prepared to blast it, only for her claw to impact a Vincent which suddenly appeared in front of her and heavily damaged it, in return the radiation arm was also heavily damaged, Rollo also was now holding Kallen into a deadlock grip and refusing to let her go.

"That frame! Rollo!" Lelouch said to him.

"Brother…are you OK?" Rollo said as he coughed up blood.

"W-why would you do something like this? Give your life for me?" Lelouch asked puzzled.

"B-Because you're the only one who ever showed me kindness….brother please retreat for now, I will hold this position" Rollo said as he felt the life draining from his body.

"Weary well, Captain Rollo you will be remembered for this action, let's go Suzaku!" Lelouch said and he along with the rest of his army reiterated to the second defensive line.

A few minutes later as Rollo finally died an Kallen broke free of him she received an order to fall back.

"Why? The enemy is on the run?" Kallen asked confused.

"There are not on the run they have retreated to a second line, also your frame is heavily damaged and we must align our full army before we assault their second line" Todoh ordered and at this Kallen complied.

**(Sarmizegetusa Bridge)**

"How's our condition?" Lelouch asked the other present.

"Our current strength is the following: From one million men we now have 950.000 still combat able, the Conquesta is to heavily damaged to fly, but can still be used in ground battles" Shirley read the report.

"Also the Shinkiro has been overused and it would take me at least a week to fix it, I am afraid it is out of order" Lloyd said.

"I have a few broke ribs, but I can still command my portion of the troops!" George said to those present.

"Regardless our position is still favorable! The streets of the city negate their numerical superiority of 1.400.000, we are in a favorable position, I suggest we hold our ground!" Cornelia added.

"Agreed! Also Rivals issue the following order to the troops' This is where we shall make our stand and it is our final withdraw, there will be no falling back, there will be no surrender, we will smash them here…..or they will smash us….." Lelouch said to him and the seriousness of the situation was now known to all.

"I say we have about an hour before they start their main offensive, is suggest we go to our respective command locations" Darlton said and they all complied.

**(Slayers position)**

"He is clever, a strong defensive line, good interior roads and communication routes….he has his strongest troops on the flanks, he obviously intends to let the center give in and envelope us, a classic Caen maneuver" Todoh said to those present.

"What do you suggest we do Todoh-shogun?" Ohgi asked.

"The weakness in such a maneuver is that there is a danger of the center breaking, half of our heavy forces will concentrate on the centre, the other two quarters will demonstrate against the flanks, if he tries to envelope us we will break through his center, is he tries to reinforce his center the demonstrative attacks will l turn to real ones and we will envelope him!" Todoh proclaimed and he issued the finer details of his maneuver, in theory it was sound, he only hoped that they could apply it.

**(8****th**** army position)**

Guilford and Darlton where both suiting up for battle.

"Care to have a sip before we start?" Darlton said as he offered a flask to Guilford.

"Don't mind if I do!" he said and as soon as he took a sip, he started coughing form its strength.

"Nasty stuff, what is it?" Guilford asked.

"It's called Palinca, it's brandy made from Fermented Plums, the reason it's so potent is that it's homemade, if you want something right you must to it yourself, hands on that's my motto" Darlton replied.

"Well if you ever decided to retire from the army, you will have a future as a distiller, and also me as an investor with stuff like this!" Guilford replied.

"I'll consider that, good luck Guilford, I'll see you after the battle." Darlton said to him.

"Hey don't say that you will jinx yourself and me as well! "Guilford jokingly said.

"Me die here? I'm too ugly to die, death will get scared and won't come near me! Ha ha ha" Darlton jokingly said as both men made their way to their commander Cornelia.

**(Lelouch's position)**

"_A wedge formation to counter my envelopment maneuver….a good call Todoh" _Lelouch thought to himself. As he weaved the enemy with his field glasses.

"I guess it's time we finish that chess game…"" Lelouch said out loud.

"What was that commander? "Rivals said to him.

"N-Nothing" he said as he then looked at Shirley, he would settle thing with her after the battle.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_We took a bad liking earlier, but this was not our first battle, we had been in dire situations before, at Fukuoka, Gettysburg, Bengali Rice Fields and we did not panic._

_Where we surprised?_

_Yes we were._

"_Where we with a bloody nose?_

_Yes we were._

"_Where we discouraged?_

_No sir, we were not!_

_We knew that it did not matter who was winning the battle at the beginning or during the middle, but who would win the battle as it was already at its end._

_And so upon the Prince's orders we maneuvered to the second line with the calmness, order and silence as if we were on the parade ground._

_Everyone knew that with the Prince Lelouch and Princess Cornelia we were in good hands, and so we did not falter and we braced ourselves for the attack._

_An eerie silence surrounded the field as the enemy deployed._

_Quiet was what a soldier feared the most._

_It's quiet before a battle begins…_

_It's quiet right before the unlucky bastard who is fated to die first bites it…_

_And after the battle is over and the corpse s are on the field it's quiet then as well._

_Sergeant Major First Class Infantry Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan_

**Bang* ***Bang* ***Bang* ***Bang* ***Bang* ***Bang* ***Bang* ***Bang* ***Bang* ***Bang****Bang* ***Bang*

The sound of Artillery fire once more filled the air

"And with that the game begins." Lelouch said to himself as the attack began.

The Battle know as the Titanomachy was now underway.

**(Elsewhere, the Pacific Ocean F.L.E.J.A convoy)**

"His majesty is on his way to wherever he wishes to.

How long until we reach Tokyo?" the commander of the convoy said to his bridge officer.

"Ten hours at best general, also reports say the battle has begun" the officer replied.

"Very well then, keep me inform….also battles are messy aren't they, you don't really know who dies among all that smoke an d powder until after it's over…sad isn't it?" the general said to him.

"Yes you are 100% right General Carrere's" the officer replied and left the bridge.

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue**


	46. Turn XX: Apocalypse now Part II

Turn XX: Apocalypse now Part II.

**(Coast of Kyushu)**

**9:00 am**

"To all units the enemy has engaged our forces in Tokyo, while my brother holds the front there we must do the same hear, so let's do a good job and not be upstaged by the Kyushu garrison alright!" Schneizell said through the communication grid to his troops which lifted their spirits as they faced Xingke

**(Outside the city of Tokyo)**

**9:30 am**

"We are live here just a few miles short of Tokyo where the Imperial army and the U.F.N Slayers have only a few moments ago engaged in battle, with me is Diethard Reed of the Black knights who is managing the logistics , mister Reed care to comment on the situation?" Millie said to him.

"We'll Miss Ashford we estimate that the enemy had roughly 1.5 million men, we have aprox 900 thousand, despite the seemingly disadvantage we have let me remind you that when compared to Fukuoka, Gettysburg and Bengali rice fields this situation is a breeze for the Black Knights, also we have the 8th army and Princess Cornelia with us, we have a Dragon and a Witch on our side, how can a mere samurai hope to defeat them like this?" Diethard replied with a chuckle and then returned to his logistic duties.

Millie after finishing the interview looked around, the city of Tokyo had been evacuated by Euphie and Nunnally at Lelouch's request off civilians, but the civilians now flocked where she was to watch the battle, there where now fast-food stands and scalpers who where sealing seats to view the battle.

"_They are treating this like it's like a soccer game or something like that, humans really are disgusting creatures" _she lamented to herself.

**(Battle's Northern Flank)**

**12:45 am**

Lelouch's original Black Knight army was holding that Flank and he looked at the approaching units.

Just then a report came from Rivals: "Fifth division sais that there is a breach in their formation, we have enemy knightmares punching through!"

"Give me a visual feed!" Lelouch replied and he saw the enemy knightmare regiment which had broken through.

"Enhance the armband those knightmares have!" Lelouch ordered and he saw the image of A Crimson Mountain on them.

"According to our Colonel Reed that is the Symbol of what the Slayers Call the Narita 'Mountain Hunters' regiment, a regiment composed out of the survivors of the Narita Battle" Shirley told them.

"Those men are the Shock troops of the Slayers, they are some of the most feared troops are enemies have, who is commanding them?" Lelouch asked.

"A Colonel Shinichiro Tamaki is commanding them." Shirley replied.

"Tamaki? Tamaki where have I heard that name before?" Lelouch asked himself as he searched his mind, and then the answer came to him.

_HEH HEH! The Iron Prince has been defeated by me, the GREAT Shinichirō Tamaki!" Tamaki said laughing._

_Lelouch got out of his cockpit, with his mask and cape on and looked at the knightmare and from what he could hear it had one heck of a stupid pilot._

_"You're my prisoner now!" Tamaki said and pointed his knightmare's rifle towards Lelouch._

_Lelouch was now more scared than he had ever been in his life._

_He was now in a no way out situation, and in that king off situation he did what any desperate man would, he would fight to the last breath, so her pulled out his handgun and pointed it at Tamaki's Burai._

_"What the?" Tamaki asked confused._

_"A BLACK KNIGHT DIES, BUT HE DOES NOT SURRENDER! IF YOU THINK YOUCAN CLAIM MY HEAD, THEN DO IT!" Lelouch said with a thunderous voice._

_"WHAT! You're crazy man! In case you haven't noticed I'M THE ONE HOLDING A BIGER GUN! THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL YOU COULD EVER WIN AGAINT THIS"_

_"Then come get me" Lelouch replied to Tamaki's above mentioned statement._

_"What! ...Well I'd never! ….." Tamaki said in shock to this lunatic who tried to fight a knightmare with a handgun!_

_Just then a rocket hit Tamaki's Burai forcing the cockpit to eject._

_"DAMIIIIIIITTTT!" Tamaki said as the cockpit flew away._

**End of Flashback.**

"_The most fearsome troops are enemies have…..and the most poorly lead _"Lelouch's mind then returned to the present.

"What is his merits?" Lelouch asked.

"Well he has the distinction of having over five knightmares hit and he survived without a scratch.." Shirley replied.

"A man of Steel , let's see how this Man of Steel's Mountain Hunters perform against our 'Wild Wolves' order Gordon to take his regiment forward!" Lelouch ordered.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

**1:07 pm**

"_There was a shortage of Pilots following the artillery Barrage and I was promoted to the Knightmare core, after mounting it and getting into formation we were given orders from Colonel Gordon, he came before us and said:_

"_The enemy regiment before us are considered the Best the Slayers have, we are the Best the Black Knight have, we are invincible, they are undefeated, NOE LET'S FIND OUT WHO IS INDESTRUCTIBLE!"_

"_Awhooooooooo!" we cried and charged._

_At first they held their ground, but we kept pushing them and pushing them until we pushed them all the way back to their lines, we then fell back to our lines and waited for round three!"_

_Recently field Promoted Captain Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan._

**(Center of the Battlefield)**

**2:22 pm**

The Slayers main thrust was doing marvelously, Todoh knowing that all relied of this attack on the center spared no expense and so the for the attack on the center Urabe and Asahina commanded the assaulting forces with Senba in reverse.

"So looks like the main thrust is here!" George said as he a column heading for his forces.

"Alright have the fifth corps form a circular formation and advance 500 meters forward" George ordered.

"The Old Reverse Pit?" Omar asked at which George nodded with a smile on his face.

And so the order was carried out.

**(Lelouch's position)**

"The emperor is passing by Japan?" Lelouch asked his communication officer.

"Yes, we don't know where he is going, but we received a transmission in which he said good luck!" the officer replied.

"It doesn't concern us, let us focus on the battle ahead" Lelouch replied but was nervous on what his father was planning.

**Slayers command network.**

**2: 27 pm**

"One enemy corps is advancing independently of the 3rd army?" Todoh asked his subordinate.

"Yes Colonel, we are now proceeding to encircle them." Asahina replied.

"_George Patton is known to be an aggressive general, but he is not reckless so why is he doing this foolish maneuver?"_ Todoh thought to himself as he watched the enemy corps being encircled.

He then realized the true reason behind the maneuver, he tried to order a withdrawn, but by now it was too late, the trap had been sprung.

2: 35pm

**Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia.**

_During the battle of Tokyo General Patton ordered his fifth corps forward, the that enemy encircled it found itself then caught in pinpoint fire from the 3__rd__ army's main force, the army of Asahina which was encircling the fifth corps where now under heavy firepower both form the fifth corps and the remainder of Patton's third army, this procedure of moving a part of your army forward so it could be encircled by the enemy, so that your main force can then encircle the encirclers was a maneuver developed by Patton at West Point called the 'Reverse Pit Trap' the instructors and students alike thought it either too difficult, to unpractical and too unconventional to be applied, but there was one cadet who thought it was brilliant, his name was Lelouch vi Brittannia….._

**(Battle's Northern Flank)**

**4:56 PM**

Chiba who was commanding the Southern flank of the Slayers was determined to break the 8th army the pride and joy of the Imperial Force.

"Have the Irish Corps advance forward and hit their right flank!" Chiba ordered her warriors.

From her vantage point Cornelia saw the approaching Irish army.

"Has Todoh nothing to offer us besides these…..leprechauns?" Cornelia lamented as she let out a breath of disappointment, she then ordered a counter attack of her forces.

**(Coast of Kyushu)**

**5:38 PM**

"All units forward, break through point eight and encircle the enemy formation!" Xingke ordered his soldiers as the battle was going in their favor.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You want us to launch a counter attack on the left flank of point eight?" Kewell said to Schneizell.

"Yes, that is they're formation breakthrough weak point, if we can put peruse their we can turn the tide of battle," Schneizell replied.

"But our men are exhausted, if we lose momentum the army may be slaughtered!" Viletta said to Schneizell.

"That is why I am asking you to lead the charge Marshall Kewell, you along with Marshall Jeremiah are named the Hammers of the Black knights, so I know you will not fail" Schneizell said and he ended the transmission.

Just then a messenger came and gave a report to Kewell at which his eyes went wide with astonishment.

"What is it?" Viletta asked concerned.

"Luciano Bradley's Valkirye squadron ….has suffered full casualties during the enemy breakthrough….." Kewell said now barely able to move from the shock.

Viletta immediately knew what this meant, Kewell's little sister was a member of the Valkirye squadron and this meant she was now dead.

Kewell shattered by this he placed his head in his palms, Viletta tried to comfort him, but he immediately shot up from his seat and ordered:

"Prepare my Lancelot for deployment! I will lead the Flanking force myself, Marshall Nu you have command!" Kewell ordered and he left the bridge, Viletta wanted to stop him, but from what she just hear happened she saw that he was going out for blood and a man like that couldn't be stopped.

Kewell bordered the Lancelot and Prepared to lead the counterattack.

"_Prince Lelouch, he placed his thrust in me to guard Kyushu, I cannot return to him saying I failed him, My father , my mother, my sister are now all gone, the Iron Prince and the Black Knights are the only thing I have left…." _Kewell said to himself and he then lead the charge.

**(Center of the Battlefield)**

**6:22PM**

"The Russian units are being routed?" Jeremiah said to his aide.

"Yes sir! At this rate it won't be long until our whole formation collapses, Marshall we must retreat!" the aide told him.

"Retreat! I am 29 years old and a proud soldier! This Field Marshall's baton is my word, the word I gave to the Prince that we would hold the center! I am too stupid to know how to break it!" Jeremiah replied and he immediately ordered that a broadcast be issued to the whole front!"

**Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia**

"_This is Field Marshall Gotwald to all of my forces, I have no need or sympathy for those who run away from the fight, any soldier who does so will be cut into pieces by the blades of the Siegfried!"_

_That was the transmission Marshall Gotwald gave his men, upon hearing this the line quickly stabilized, and although such an outrages order would have never been carried even by the old Imperial army it's desired effect was nevertheless what Jeremiah wanted._

_Also this transmission was heard by Cornelia's 8__th__ army, at which it is rumored that Sir Guilford said to his men:_

"_We cannot let that Orange upstage us! Let's show them the power of Princess Cornelia's army!"_

"_Long live the Princess!" his men shouted and charged forward._

**(Slayers communication network**

**7:00 PM**

"We are being repulsed on all fronts! how is that possible, we have 1,400 thousand men, the enemy has just over 900, even if it costs us one soldier per Black Knight we would still be winning this so why aren't we?" Chiba said to those present.

"The enemy despite being outnumbered has a in terms of skilled commanders greater number than us, so our forces are evenly matched" Todoh replied.

"What do we do now?" Ohgi asked.

"We through in our final ace! Senba get your men to reinforce the front, if we can break through there we can win this!" Todoh ordered him.

"Understood!" Senba said and he then addressed his men.

"Listen up we will reinforce Generals Urabe and Asahina!" he said and then led his men forward.

**(Lelouch position).**

**7:12 PM**

"The enemy is throwing in their final reserves, looks like this battle is coming to an en…are the Bellerophon's ready Lloyd?" Lelouch asked him .

"Yes, sir and I managed to patch up the Lancelot with one unit, Suzaku's just waiting for the order." Lloyd replied.

Just then a transmission was given to the Tokyo force from Schneizell.

"_The enemy fleet which was trying to land was repulsed, friendly casualties 38%, enemy casualties 29%, also among the High Ranking officers Marshall Kewell is reported K.I.A"_

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_The news of Kewell's death shook us members of the 501__st__ to the core, he was one of our original commanders and we felt a sudden emptiness in us because of it._

"_Farewell Old Lemon head, we enlisted men loved you, because you made us love ourselves."_

_Recently field Promoted Captain Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan._

"K…..Kewell is dead!" Jeremiah said distraught

"How many….how many enemies did it take to take him down?" Jeremiah asked.

"The Marshall had died while destroying Cruiser" the reply was heard.

"A Cruiser…., well it's take at least and Dozen Iceberg Carrier for me! Your Highness please give us the order to begin Phase Two!" Jeremiah said to his liege.

"_The timing is appropriate for Phase two and with Kewell's death the troops will have the taste for revenge.." _Lelouch though in his mind.

"Very well! George, Omar you will fall back to create the impression that the line is collapsing, Suzaku will on my mark launch a counteroffensive with the Bellerophone frames, George, Omar, Jeremiah, Cornelia all units counterattack as well, all units forward, for Kewell and revenge.!" Lelouch said and they all complied.

As he watched the second part of his plan put into motion his mind went back to the confrontation in Kewell's apartment and his words that day.

_"So you see, after that I decided to resign and just let them come after me, after all a scumbag like wouldn't be missed!" Kewell said and chuckled_

"_You where right my friend, Kewell the 'Scumbag' would have not been missed, But Kewell the 'Hero who died in battle' will be, you said you wanted to apologies by giving your life away, well you got that, and I get victory, this couldn't have happened better if I planned it all!" _Lelouch thought to himself.

**(Todoh's position)**

**7:40 PM**

"General the enemy center is collapsing! General Manfred requests reinforcements!" Senba said to Todoh.

"_The Center has fallen, now all we have to do is send id the last reserves and we win!" _Todoh thought to himself, he prayed that it was so.

"All units forward to support the assaults, let us break through now!"Todoh ordered

**(Center of the Battle)**

**8:24 PM**

General Manfred who's German division was at the spearhead of the breach was about to break through the lines, to motivate them he started playing the German national anthem on speakers for the whole front to hear.

Just then Lelouch unleashed the Bellerophon's, the project he had Lloyd start after he woke from his coma these machines where Vincent and Sutherlands which where mounted on robot horses, these horses where proportional in size to a normal horse is to a human.

For a while Lelouch knew that armor was a knightmares weakness, the Lancelot seemed to solve that weakness, but the cost was too high to implement on a industrial scale, the cost necessary to make a shield generator compact enough to fit in a knightmare was very high, but by making the generator less compact the cost went down, like laptops and ordinary computers of the same efficiency.

The Bellerophon's had the same shield capacity as the Lancelot, and now it was their time to be baptized.

Suzaku was the one leading these 300 frames, so from his now mounted Conquesta he said:

"Soldiers the world is watching us..so let us put on a good Show!"

"AWHOOOOO!" the black battle cry was heard and the frames charged the Slayers center.

**Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,**

**Germany, Germany above all,  
**The Bellerophon's charged the Slayers knightmares dwarfing them in size, and fear factor

**Über alles in der Welt,**

**Above all in the world**

They charged them like the old Dragoons of Napoleon charged the line infantry

**Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze  
Brüderlich zusammenhält.**

**When, for protection and defence, it always  
takes a brotherly stand together.**

The units of the Slayers where not green troops, but the problem was that from the excess of the Bellerophon's they had many times the horsepower of the ordinary Frames and they charged the Gekkas so fast they did not had time, nor did they know how to respond.

**Von der Maas bis an die Memel,  
Von der Etsch bis an den Belt, **

**From the ****Meuse**** to the ****Memel****,  
From the ****Adige**** to the ****Belt****,  
**

"First the squat is defeated, then the company in is attached to, then the battalion, the regiment, the division, and finally the whole army is defeated…." Lelouch said with glee to himself as he watched the Slayers formation disintegrate.

**|: Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,  
Über alles in der Welt! :|**

**|: Germany, Germany above everything,  
Above everything in the world! **

The whole division had now been broken and the Slayers center was collapsing.

**Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,  
Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang  
Sollen in der Welt behalten  
Ihren alten schönen Klang,**

**German women, German ****loyalty****,  
German wine and German song  
Shall retain in the world  
Their old beautiful chime**

Whatever was left of discipline, order of the chain of command now was gone and the center was now routing.

**Und zu edler Tat begeistern  
Unser ganzes Leben lang.  
And inspire us to noble deeds  
During all of our life.  
|: German women, German loyalty,  
German wine and German song! **

"Stop men! Hold the lines Don't you love your homes, you country?" Todoh said over the comm.'s as he charged the Bellerophon's trying to rally the troops.

**|: Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,  
Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang! :|**

**|: German women, German loyalty,  
German wine and German song! **

"Ja, Sir, und wir versuchen, zu ihnen zurück, so schnell wie wir können!

Yes sir, and we are trying to get back to them as fast as we can!"

One anonymous soldier replied to Todoh's plea.

**Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit  
Für das deutsche Vaterland!**

**Unity and justice and freedom  
For the German fatherland!**

Ohgi from the Ikaruga now saw how everything was falling apart, they had gambled and now where losing

"It's over , it's all over!" Ohgi said as the Bellerophon's now started to go north and south to envelope the left and right flanks of the Slayers army

**Danach lasst uns alle streben  
Brüderlich mit Herz und Hand!**

**For these let us all strive  
Brotherly with heart and hand!  
**

"Do not panic! The left and right wings will disengage and withdraw back to the seaport, if we can reorganize the line, with the Iceberg carriers we can still win the day!" Todoh ordered and this restored Ohgi's faith and the army complied, most got away….

**Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit  
Sind des Glückes Unterpfand;**

**Unity and justice and freedom  
Are the pledge of fortune;**

….but a few where caught from behind, Suzaku with his sword now cut a Gekka in two, he then picked up a Black Knight flag and started waiving the Black Knights forward.

"That's the Style Suzaku! That's the style!" George said as he delightedly watched how Suzaku smashed the Slayers.

**|: Blüh' im Glanze dieses Glückes,  
Blühe, deutsches Vaterland! :|**

**Bloom in this fortune's blessing,  
Bloom, German fatherland! :|**

The Slayers where now in retreat to the docks, victory which seemed in their grasps was now very far away all of a sudden.

**Blüh' im Glanze dieses Glückes,  
Blühe, deutsches Vaterland! :|**

**Bloom in this fortune's blessing,  
Bloom, German fatherland! :|**

**(Battle's Southern Flank)**

"This is Field Marshall Cornelia to all units…raise high the Black Flag children, No Prisoners! No pity! I will shoot any man with Pity in them, Forward!" Cornelia ordered and all of their unit advanced in tandem with the collapse of the Slayers center.

**(Battles' center position)**

"This is it boys forward with all you might, The Goddess of Victory is waiving her underwear in your faces!".

George said to his men with glee, this was the kind of fight he liked, a fast and powerful offensive!

**(Lelouch's position)**

**The Slayers** by now under Todoh's leadership had managed to avoid encirclement and where reorganizing around the harbor.

"**This is it**! After two years of humiliation, two years of chasing you from here to Asia and back this is it! The Slayers who every time I wanted to take a step forward placed a clothes pin where I wanted to put my foot will now die!" Lelouch said now his body flowing with jubilee, extreme happiness, relief and Bloodlust.

"Nothing can save you now! There is no landslide, No Hidden Carrier, No Miracle for you Todoh!"

"I will kill each cursed Slayer and I will cut off your head Todoh and use your skull as a drinking cup!"

"Hehehe hahahah HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA H!'Lelouch unable to restrain his jubilation laughed out loud in his command center greatly startling those present.

Shirley was the most disturbed off all, for the laughter, the words and smirk on his face was something she never saw before.

"_The truth is, I am a horrible person… I lie…cheat…steal, and if there's no other choice I kill…that's the kind of life the 'Iron Prince' leads, I was afraid of dragging you into that world, I thought that if I rejected you or acted irresponsible, you'd fall for it and give up.." he replied_."

Shirley's mind involuntarily flashed what he told her at Ashford during Cupids Day.

"_Is this that dark side of you that you hid from us Lelouch, are you really the same Lelouch I knew at Ashford, or did I knew you at all?" _she thought to herself.

**( Northern Edge of the Battlefield)**

The Convoy had now arrived at the Battlefield.

Calare's looked at the battlefield and after a moment said.

"Launch the F.L.E.J.A!"

**9:00 PM**

**Authors note:**

**Read and review let me know if I should continue.**


	47. Turn XXI: Apocalypse now Part III

Turn XXI: Apocalypse now Part III

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_By the time we reached the docks the enemy knew that it was their last stand, and we knew we had to break that stand, so every unit, from a riflemen, to tanks, to airpower, to knightmares rushed in._

_Riflemen got into hand to hand, Tanks rammed each other like a pair or Rhinos', Airplanes collided with each other, and knightmares pushed and shoved each other like giant Sumo wrestlers._

_That mêlée lasted only 4 minutes, but within those four minutes casualties mounted up, all technology was forgotten, all maneuver, and any king of strategy was now alien, like war had a tendency to bring out the savage nature in man, this battle now had us degenerate us into caveman, it was one big fight with clubs, chains and bottles, savagery at its most decadent level._

_Captain Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan_

**(Lelouch's command position)**

"Hehehe hahahah HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA H!'Lelouch unable to restrain his jubilation laughed out loud.

He lifted his arms up in glee, and then looked out his command vehicles window, there he saw his reflection and he immediately jumped back from what he saw.

A look of horror, disillusion and devastation was now on his face, he picked up his Zero mask and holding it with both hands he looked at it.

"Please allow me to introduce myself  
I'm a man of wealth and taste  
I've been around for a long, long year  
Stole many a man's soul and faith"

Lelouch suddenly said as he placed the mask back on the table.

"Pleased to meet you  
Hope you guess my name  
But what's puzzling you  
Is the nature of my game

I stuck around St. Petersburg  
When I saw it was a time for a change  
Killed the Czar and his ministers  
Anastasia screamed in vain"

He once more with a voice which was exhausted and devoid of strength said as he walked backwards to where his chair was.

"Sir?" one of the staff officers said.

"What did I just say earlier?" Lelouch asked.

"Eh?" the officer replied.

"I said what did I just say earlier….please tell me.." Lelouch said his hands where now supporting his chin, in an involuntary move which humans had built in them to help them receive grave news.

"W-well you said that the Slayers are finally beaten…and…." Rivals said but was hesitant to continue.

"And then you said you would kill each one of them…and…..and use Todoh's head as a drinking cup…" Shirley hesitantly told him.

"I rode a tank  
Held a general's rank  
When the Blitzkrieg raged  
And the bodies stank"

Lelouch once more said out loud as he buried his head in desperation in his palms, his suspicion as now confirmed.

"Let me please introduce myself  
I'm a man of wealth and taste  
And I laid traps for troubadors  
Who get killed before they reached Bombay

Pleased to meet you  
Hope you guessed my name,  
But what's puzzling you  
Is the nature of my game,"

Lelouch said his head still buried in his arms, he then lifted his head and there where traces of tears that had streamed down his eyes.

Lelouch then pressed a button which connected him with Diethard Reed.

"Mister Reed is their anyway this battle can still be lost?" Lelouch asked him.

"No sir, the Slayers have sustained 60% casualties, we have 30 %casualties, unless the sky come crashing down on us I don't see how that's possible" Diethard replied.

"Very well then, tell Cornelia she has command I am retiring from exhaustion, also tell the Slayers the following: they have fought bravely and I respect that, if they surrender I will treat them magnanimously" Lelouch said and he ended the transmission.

He then got up from his chair, walked to the door, and stopped right before it and said:

"Oh and by the way Shirley, from the time of my unmasking to the SAZ I found out about Kallen, I seduced her and slept with her almost daily in order to keep track of her whereabouts ".

"I suspected as much…" Shirley said to him, she saw how Kallen looked at Lelouch while they were still at Ashford, there was no surprise in her voice, just confirmation.

"Why are you telling me this now?" she asked genuinely curious.

"…..After what you just saw now….you actually think something as trifling as that actually matters?" Lelouch said and he left the command deck, after picking up his mask.

As he walked towards his room he continuously looked at his own reflection in his Zero visor.

"Just as every cop is a criminal  
And all the sinners saints  
As heads is tails  
Just call me Lucifer"

Lelouch said as he remembered what he saw only a moment ago in the command room, from his speech, gesture mannerism, and laughter the image which formed on the window was not his own, for one moment Lelouch saw something which terrified him, something which even in his darkest nightmares he never envisioned he would become….he saw that he had become his father…..

'Cause I'm in need of some restraint"

**(Cornelia's position)**

"Lelouch has retired from exhaustion and given me command?" Cornelia said to Diethard.

"Yes, ma'am, also he recommended that we give the Slayers an opportunity to surrender" Diethard replied.

"At this point the battle is decided, I approve of it." Cornelia said and she activated a speaker.

"To the enemy units, this is Cornelia, in recognition for your bravery we ofer you the change to surrender, will you accept it?" Cornelia asked them.

"We will not!" Todoh's reply came through.

"This battle may be lost, this war may be lost, but we will never stop to fight against you, we will honorably fight for freedom until we die!" Todoh said and the Slayers army shouted in agreement.

"Honorably? You dare use the word honor when you yourselves do not know it's meaning? You who pledged to disarm when you sign the SAZ, yet at the same time gave weapons to the Chinese, you who did nothing while Kyushu was under Sawasaki turned Kyushu into a hellhole! You who then pledged loyalty to the Chinese Federation and the launched a coup against it dare to dream that you know anything about honor!" Suzaku suddenly shouted over his speakers.

"And what do you consider honor is then Suzaku-kun? To serve away a group of invaders just because they offer to be lenient masters? Just because some girls gives you sweat eyes? Is that honor? Is that life? Honor means staying to your principles no matter what happens, our principles are a free Japan and we will fight for it!" Kallen replied, her knightmares had been partially fixed and she exited to help support the front lines

"Fight, fight and more fighting! That's the only thing you know how to achieve your goals! It's that way of thinking that does the most damaged to the world! People like you are a cancer, a plague, and we are the cure, all units follow me and destroy the Slayers!"

"Al HAIL ZERO!" The Black Knight cried out.

"DIE ZERO!" The Slayers said and they now restarted the fight now with even more intensity, and now began what history called the Four Minutes of hell.

**(F.L.E.J.A convoy)**

"Fire the F.L.E.J.A! "Calares ordered.

But sir our Allies the Black Knights are there!" a bridge officer said

*BANG*

Calares pulled out his gun and shot the officer.

"I said fire the F.L.E.J.A, we will destroy the Slayers with that weapon and also purge our ranks of those fitly numbers and their bastard of a Commander" Calares said as he now at gunpoint repeated his command.

**(Center of the Battlefield)**

"Hey hold the lines!" Tamaki said, just then he saw a knightmare approaching, he recognized it as one of the Lancelot models of Lelouch's commanders.

"Hey you in that Big shot Lancelot! I Shinichiro Tamaki challenge you to a duel!" Tamaki said.

"Very well, I Lieutenant General Omar Bradley accept your challenge" Omar replied and they clashed blade's.

A barrage of attacks and parries came from both Tamaki's Akatsuki and Omar's Lancelot, Tamaki launched his slash harken, but Omar sliced them Tamaki then tried a downward Slash from above, but Omar Dodged it and cut of Tamaki's arm.

"Now stand aside worthy adversary!" Omar proclaimed, Tamaki had now lost his Harken, his machine gun arm, and his sword, Omar was the victor.

"IT's just a scratch " Tamaki replied unfazed.

"A scratch! Your arms off!" Omar replied astounded.

"No it isn't!" Tamaki replied.

"Then what's that then!" Omar said while he pointed at the cut off knightmare arm.

"I've had worse" Tamaki replied after he looked at it for a moment.

"You lie!" Omar replied.

"Come on you pansy!" Tamaki said as he picked up the sword with his left arm and started slashing at Omar, Omar easily deflected his blows and cut off Tamaki's remaining arm.

"Victory is mine!" Omar proclaimed.

Tamaki suddenly tried to kick Omar.

"What!" Omar said as he was astounded by what was going on.

"Come on then!" Tamaki said to him.

"You are a brave man Mister Tamaki, but this fight is mine" Omar replied.

"Oh had enough ey!" Tamaki replied.

"Look you stupid bastard you got no arms left on your knightmare!" Omar said to him.

"Yes I have!" Tamaki replied.

"Look!" Omar replied.

"Just a scratch for me!" Tamaki said and he continued to try to kick Omar.

"That's it!" Omar said as he sliced of one of Tamaki's legs.

"I'll have you for that!" Tamaki replied.

"You'll what!" Omar replied.

"Come here!" Tamaki said as he hopped to it.

"What are you going to do bleed on me?" Omar replied.

"I'm invincible!" Tamaki said as he tried to hop charge him.

But Bradley used his arm to keep him at bay like in a Tom and Jerry Cartoon.

"You're a Looney!" Omar said and he hit the Akatsukis head, making Tamaki eject right into the sky.

**(Diethard's position)**

"Is that report serious?" Diethard asked one of his aides.

"Yes sir! The mêlée and the artillery duel have now reached such and intensity that we are actually recording a two degrees earthquake on the Richter Scale !" the aide replied.

At this Diethard picked up a camera and went outside to record the scene, to say it was ghastly was an understatement.

The fires and flashes from the fighting turned night into day, the ground rumbled from the intensity of the fighting, Soldier everywhere dead where present, scream and moans of agony of the wounded were mixed with the sound of battle and death, in all it was sight from hell.

"_He has done it! He has finally done it, Prince Lelouch has brought the Fires of Hell to this world! The Niddhog has started Ragnarok!"._

Diethard mentally said to himself as he with great delight took in and recorded the gruesome spectacle which had now engulfed the city.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_The battle had now reached new levels of savagery, in that chaos I saw my former commander Lieutenant Hagan suddenly wandering the Field of war and screaming something, and somehow through all that smoke and noise I could hear it clearly._

"Why are we doing this…

How can we kill each other, when we don't even know each other.

Why, why ,why, why, why…..

Those words would haunt me for the rest of my life.

_Captain Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan_

**(Lelouch's room)**

Lelouch had now returned to his quarters and he sat down on his couch, to try to relax he pulled out an old Record and played on of his favorite songs.

"Fire the F.L.E.J.A!" Calare's ordered and it was complied.

On the ground the Tamaki had just then bean beaten by Omar, his cockpit went and collided with the incoming F.L.E.J.A warhead deflecting it's course, this in fact made the bomb detonate itself farther away from the two armies then was intended, unknowingly saving them saving them , but the bomb still exploded and did great damage.

The bomb activated and a great light now engulfed the Field, Lelouch saw this light from his room's window.

**Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,  
and I say it's all right  
**

So did everyone else on the battlefield, the fight then stopped as like moths they were attracted t o this flame.

**Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter  
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here **

"Todoh-san" Asahina said as the light engulfed him

**Here comes the sun, here comes the sun  
and I say it's all right  
**

Darlton who was with Guilford and the Gladstone knights also where mentally shocked by what they where seeing, Cornelia was with them.

Their training and loyalty kicking in they immediately pushed the Princess out of harm's way.

**Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces  
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here  
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun  
and I say it's all right  
**

At the Hospital Euphie also saw the light.

She hugged Nunnally tightly, trying to assure her that everything was fine, and now she wondered that maybe even Nunnally now saw this dreadful light.

**Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...  
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...  
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...  
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...  
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...  
**

"What the hell is going on! Who ordered F.L.E.J.A to be launched!" Lelouch yelled as the light now started to implode and the shockwave made the command center roll

**Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting  
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear  
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,  
and I say it's all right  
It's all right**

The light faded the shockwave subsided, and on Calares face a smirk of achievement was present.

**Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang*

A sudden artillery burst hit the convoy.

"Get me contact with Prince Odysseus!" Calares ordered.

"Your highness please stop that barrage!" Calares said to him.

"How can you ask me that! You fired on our allies." Odysseus angrily spat at him him.

"W-Wait! We only fired on Prince Lelouch, he was manipulating you for his own purposes! We did this for you My Prince!" Calares said lying thru his teeth.

"Did this for me! I was not manipulated by him, I asked him to take me in, he gave me purpose, you are nothing but traitors and murderers and you will all die!" Odysseus said and he was literary foaming at the mouth.

"W-Wait your highness we surrender and in accordance to you code you must threat us with chivalry! "Calares said now panicking.

At this Odysseus anger subsided and he looked at Kuribayashi and said.

"Ito, our communications became blurry a moment ago so I did not hear what General Calare said, tell me did he offer his surrender?"

"No I did not hear it" Ito replied.

"Did anybody else in this room hear it?" Odysseus asked.

"No"

"Nep"

"Beast me"

Was the other officers reply.

"Then since they did not surrender we must then continue to fight them." Odysseus replied and he raised his hand to give the signal for the barrage to restart.

"W-Wait your highness! You are the heir to the throne, the future king, I am a noble, how would this look to the world?" Calares said pleading for his life.

"No, I am not the king,….i am not a Prince…I am an artillery commander….I am a soldier, and you are my enemy…" Odysseus then raised his head and looked him in the eye and added:" ….A soldiers kills his enemies…Fire!" He ordered.

**Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang*

**Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang*

**Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang*

**Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang*

**Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang*

**Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang*

**Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang*

**Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia**

_The unexpected usage of F.L.E.J.A turned the result of the battle unexpectedly._

_The Slayers suffered 85,3% casualties, 60 percent wounded and 25% dead_

_The Black Knights and allied forces suffered 82,7 casualties, 54 % wounded and 28% dead_

_The Empire calls it: The Empire's Austerlitz, Zero's perfect battle._

_Because Lelouch in terms of maneuver had beaten Todoh._

_The U.F.N calls it: Lelouch's Waterloo, Todoh's second miracle_

_Lelouch's army was greatly wounded and for a while unable to fight_

_Because despite being beaten, outmaneuvered and suffering .J.A Todoh somehow managed to ensure the survival of his army at a heavy cost, under those circumstances his accomplishment could be called nothing short of miraculous._

_Lelouch withdrew his army to a defensive ring around Ashford._

_Todoh did the same and maintained his army around the docks.._

_The Titanomachy was over….it truly was a battle which made the world tremble…..it truly was a fight to the death._

**(Todoh's position)**

Todoh was in his Knightmares he glanced at the field, by change or fates cruel play he saw the body of Lt Hagan, and as if he was there he heard the words he screamed as the battle took away his sanity, before it took away his life.

_Why are we doing this…_

_How can we kill each other, when we don't even know each other._

_Why, why ,why, why, why….._

Todoh looked around the field, The city of Tokyo which had been rebuilt only a few short weeks ago now lied in ruin, and orgy of corpse was everywhere, he could see the legs of knightmare frame which were hit still standing, crashed aircraft, blown up tanks everywhere.

"_**Next to a battle lost**_**….**_**the saddest thing is a**_ _**battle won**_ "Todoh lamented as he returned to his command center.

**Authors note **

**Read and Review, **

**also exams are coming up for me, so don't expect and update at least until may next year.**


	48. Turn XXII :Come gather around people

Chapter XXII :Come gather round people….

**(Tokyo, Slayers headquarters)**

Todoh entered the conference room, and was surprised at what he saw over two thirds of the command chairs where vacant.

"Inoue, Yoshida, Minaue, Sugiyama, Senba, Urabe and Asahina-san…gone, all gone in a blink of an eye…" Ohgi lamented to those present.

"I knew Brittannia was cruel, but I never thought Lelouch would create and use such a weapon" Kaguya through the communication monitor said to those present.

"I do not consider Lelouch to be the one who did this tragedy" Todoh said.

"What do you mean?" Xingke asked through the communication monitor.

"His forces where on the verge of defeating us, from the intelligence we gathered his army suffered more than our own, also the F.L.E.J.A was controlled by a group of noble officers outside his command chain" Todoh replied.

"Wait a minute! But that means that…that.." Tamaki stampeded as the implications was clear to him.

"That the nobles tried to kill him…..Him! Their champion, the man who brought more successes in war to their country that any other, the one who is their greatest hero they tried to kill!" Kallen said to those present.

"Damn it!" Tamaki said as he slammed his fist on the table.

"I have no great love for the guy…but even so….Is there no limits to how evil the Empire can be, to treat its leading general like that!" Tamaki added.

"A city in ash, an army heavily damaged, and a table which is almost empty…what have we done this day?" Chiba asked those around.

"We've won" Kaguya said to those present much to their surprise.

"Although this is not how we imagined out victory we did win, our strategic objective to capture Tokyo is achieved, what we must decide now is how to exploit this victory" Kaguya added.

"Although we have won today, our forces are too heavily damaged to press on, the Empire may not be able to push forward, but neither can we, for now I suggest we try to appeal to a cease-fire with them" Xingke replied and it was a good idea.

**(Tokyo, Black Knight hospital)**

"Oooooooooooo!"Guilford said as the doctors gave him another painkiller.

Alfred watched helplessly as his father's best friend was now in pain from the great injuries he received from the bomb, Guilford would probably from his wounds remain a blind cripple the rest of his life, but considering the fact that from Darlton and the other Gladstone knights not even the Ashes from their bones remained he was the lucky one, a million questions and confusion raced through Guilfords mind but one thing he was certain:

"_This isn't was its murder! Bloody murder!"_

Cornelia ,Suzaku and Lelouch were walking through the hospital searching for Euphie and Nunnally.

After a while they found them and the doctor which was treating Euphie came up to them to brief them.

"Has something happened to her?" Cornelia said very concerned.

"She is no mortal danger, but your highness the light from before was so powerful in its intensity that I am afraid that while Princess Euphemia was shielding Princess Nunnally she..had the left side of her body experience third degree burns, she is now in convalescence, she will recover, but I am afraid she is greatly scared " the doctor replied and let them in, where Nunnally was holding the arms of a leaping Euphie, needless to say all three of them were shocked at what happened to her.

Cornelia took it the hardest, she scampered , lost sight of reality and in her confusion scampered outside where rain started falling now that it was night and an eerie song began playing in her head

**Hello darkness, my old friend,  
I've come to talk with you again,  
Because a vision softly creeping,  
Left it's seeds while I was sleeping,  
And the vision that was planted in my brain  
Still remains  
Within the sound of silence. **

"_This had to be some king of knightmare_" was what was constant in her brain

**In restless dreams I walked alone  
Narrow streets of cobblestone,  
'neath the halo of a street lamp,  
I turned my collar to the cold and damp  
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light  
That split the night  
And touched the sound of silence.  
**

There Cornelia saw how hundreds of her dead soldier and thousand of her wounded where moved, treated and buried, the men she knew for a lifetime all destroyed in an instant.

**And in the naked light I saw  
Ten thousand people, maybe more.  
People talking without speaking,  
People hearing without listening,  
People writing songs that voices never share  
And no one dare  
Disturb the sound of silence.  
**

She then remembered how only a few minutes ago Darlton her second in command and her mentor, the man who was a father figure to her was now gone forever and how Guilford was now greatly injured

**"fools" said i, "you do not know  
Silence like a cancer grows.  
Hear my words that I might teach you,  
Take my arms that I might reach you."  
But my words like silent raindrops fell,  
And echoed  
In the wells of silence **

"_And it was not the numbers who forced Clovis to blow his brains out, it was fear!... fear that his mother, his uncle, his friends would all pay for his incompetence, we as humans are willing to accept the consequence of our actions, but we are unwilling to let others suffer for our transgressions, that is the kind of country we serve!." Lelouch then took two steps towards Cornelia brought his head closer to her and said with a soft and angry tone:_

_"How long before I blow my brains out to protect Nunnally? Or you blow yours to protect Euphie? As long as this system remains sooner or later that day will come!" he finished, with a rasp of disgust which was heard as he said the final nine words of the sentence._

Cornelia's mind flashed back to the conversation she had with Lelouch almost two years ago

**And the people bowed and prayed  
To the neon God they made.  
And the sign flashed out it's warning,  
In the words that it was forming.  
And the sign said, "the words of the prophets  
**

Something then snapped inside Cornelia and she picked herself up from the floor and went back inside, past the horror, past the madness past the shier blasphemy against life which was done this day.

**Are written on the subway walls  
And tenement halls."  
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence**

"Lelouch….." She said to him and he turned around to face her.

"…You where rightLelouch, you where right" she added.

"Sister..please…calm down Euphie is hurt but she will..h..heal" Lelouch said as he still tried recover from the shock.

"….you want the throne you can have it, I'll give it to you…but on one condition…" Cornelia said as they were now face to face she then leaned her head forward and placed her hands on Lelouch's chest and with tears in her eye said.

"I want their heads! The nobles who fired that weapon, they families heads, the heads of those who knew what was going to happen…you can have the world…BUT I WANT BLOOD!" Cornelia said and she collapsed to the ground and started crying.

"You'll get it Cornelia….Believe me you will get it!" Lelouch said, his shock was now replaced with anger and a thirst for revenge, but first he had to distract the Slayers.

**(Black Knight lounge a few hours later)**

Shirley and Rivals where both sharing a drink and both where to shocked about what happened today.

"So much death…so much blood" Rivals said out loud.

"Half the city has been turned to ash, this is madness" Shirley added.

"What did you think it was going to be like?" they heard someone behind them and they turned to see general Patton.

"Did you think that this was some kind of game in which we all just pretend to fight and die? A nice campy and fun show where everything is for fun and laughs where death never appears? That this is Batman: The Brave and the Bold?...Well news flash this is Batman TAS: Is dark and it's serious and the show is not for the weak of heart….so if you don't like the program I suggest you change the channel" George said to them, but before he could answer the speakers blurted the following: "All senior commanders report to the Bridge of the Sarmizegetusa"

"Well guess it's time for a new episode" George said and started to walk towards the Sarmizegetusa.

**(Impact crater a few hours earlier)**

Kallen was now at its edge, she wanted to see with her own two eyes just how great the destruction was when she heard a voice.

"Hello Kallen" a whisper was heard and she turned around only to see Lelouch pressed against the Guren like he had no care in the world "We need to talk" he added.

"Talk?" Kallen asked puzzled.

"Well I could rip of your clothes and ravage you here and now..or we could talk" Lelouch said as he produced from his back a yellow rose and he started plucking the petals from it.

"Have you ever heard stories about witches, warlocks and demons?" Lelouch asked.

"Yes of course, but what has that to do with….." Kallen said but was stopped from a raise of the hand from Lelouch.

"You see Kallen all those stories, they are true, the origin of those powers is called Geass, it exist, it's not a fairytale and here is proof of it" Lelouch said as he finished dispetaling the flower and throw Kallen a flash disk.

"And if for your information there is a man who is using this power, that fruit cake of a Kusakabe has Geass." Lelouch said and saw that Kallen was a bit disbelieving.

"That's absurd!" She said.

"Is it? At Fukuoka his soldiers had some kind of animal bloodlust in them, that is common knowledge, he then somehow made the guards kill each other when he was held prisoner by the Chinese and then he made political chaos in Germany which made his old friend Beck be able to win the elections, it's that's all a coincidence then I am a monkey's uncle" Lelouch finished and then bit of the flower body and chewed it.

"And before you say anything else know that I am not doing this because I care about the well being of the Slayers, I am doing this because Kusakabe is getting more and more powerful everyday, at this rate he will conquer the U.F.N and your precious little democracy will become just another evil empire under his leadership another hell, and two hell's is one hells to many" Lelouch said and Kallen then looked down at the Flash disk and then back up at Lelouch only to notice he was gone.

"Batman wannabe" Kallen said with a chuckle and went to deliver the disk to the others.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_After the Battle I was promoted to command of the Regiment since I was the highest ranking officer to survive the battle, but my promotion was cut short by my shock of just how great the destruction was" _

"_I did not know what to think until I saw the angelic voice of Princess Nunnally announce the following:"_

"_Everyone I have the following announcement to make: At the Battle of Tokyo heavy casualties have been reported on both sides, but upon recommendations from Field Marshall's Cornelia and Lelouch I have evacuated the city and there are no civilian casualties"_

"_That moved us all to tears, since there was many of us both former numbers and Brittannian's that had family in Tokyo and the Iron Prince protected them"_

"_GOD SAVE THE PRINCE AND TO HELL WITH WHO SAYS OTHERWISE!" I shouted out and everyone agreed, that was what sealed the deal for us for life, the only loyalty we now had was for the Iron Prince and him alone, the rest of the world be damned._

_Recently Gazeted Colonel Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan_

**(Black knights hospital)**

"Don't look at me Suzaku" Euphie said to him while she turned away.

"Why?" Suzaku asked concerned.

"Why? Cause I am a monster now that's why, look at me!" The only thing missing is a two headed coin 'mand I'm…I' ha h nwaaaaaaaaaa" Euphie started crying

"Euphie it's not your face that I love, it's your love for everyone and your forgiving nature, I love you no matter what" Suzaku confessed deeply.

"Then…..if you love me…will you….will you" Euphie said as she now stopped crying and started fidgeting with her fingers.

"What?" Suzaku said.

"…..m-marry me?" Euphie said and at that moment Suzaku's jaw dropped.

"M-m-marriage?" he hesitantly replied.

"Well well look at this, you my friend hurl yourself in battle without a moment's hesitation and the simple thought of marriage makes you shake in fear, and some people say that you are not wise" Lelouch said as he suddenly appeared with Cornelia behind Suzaku.

"Are you saying Kururugi that you intended to deflower my sister and not take responsibility for that?" Cornelia told him.

"W-well I I *Gulp* I do" Suzaku said and immediately Euphie jumped him and hugged him.

"Well that's all fine and dandy but we have some unfinished things to do Suzaku and you miss need to rest" Lelouch said and with Cornelia and Suzaku went to the command center.

**(Black Knights logistical headquarters)**

To say that Diethard Reed was disappointed was an understatement, he expected the Black Knights to vanquish the Slayers and then he would continue his documentary to where the Iron Prince would become this world's leader.

"_But after what he sustained today I doubt there is much hope for that now" _to him the great story he felt was the Iron Prince now ended here in Tokyo, Diethard said as he prepared to go to Kyushu to see if Prince Schneizell was a more interesting story.

**(Lloyd's laboratory)**

"Still it's a shame the Bellerophon's where a failure" Lloyd lamented.

"What do you mean? They changed the course of the Battle." Cecile added.

"Only because the enemy never saw any of these before, after the recovered from the initial shock, they immediately started firing at them, despite the fact that they had energy shields, they are simply too big a target and lack to much maneuverability to be practical" Lloyd replied.

"Well the prince will be disappointed when he gets back" Cecile replied.

"He has bigger issues to think about now" Lloyd replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Just a few hours ago a few nobles tried to openly kill him, and now that he survived he is now powerful enough for revenge" Lloyd replied.

"You don't mean!"

"Yes, our star sponsor will either soon be a king or a corpse" Lloyd replied and was curious at what tomorrow will bring.

**(Sarmizegetusa)**

"So the time has arrived then" Cornelia said determined.

"W wait a minute! Regardless of the fact that he is our sovereign, he still remains our father! We can't just do this to him" Odysseus pointed out.

"Yes he is our father, a father who sees all and knows what goes on in his kingdom and he did not lift a finger to stop the nobles with their F.L.E.J.A plan, let me ask you this do you want to continue to live under such a ruler who doesn't even care about his own children, let alone his own people?" Lelouch said to him and at this Odysseus could give no reply.

"Then it's settled: We will now launch our coep de ta: Jeremiah you ,George, Omar and Odysseus will remain here to keep the Slayers in line, the rest of you will come with me to where father is, we will try to apprehend him, but if not you know what we must do" Lelouch said to them.

"What bout Viletta and the Kyushu Black Knights?" Jeremiah asked.

"I have already given the order for them to break off from Schneizell's force and to form a defensive position at Fukuoka and to be weary of him, oh and before we must make it clear who will rule after him, do you any of you object to myself?" Lelouch said and everyone replied that they would be okay with it

A couple of minutes later the Sarmizegetusa and a few elite pilots left to where Charles was.

As Lelouch looked outside the window he thought to himself:

"_This is it, it all or nothing today everyone who died is now with us, today we will see if all the blood spilled until now was spilled for a purpose or if it was all in vain"_

**Meanwhile, in another section of the Black Knights camp in Tokyo**

C.C quietly stayed in the new room was provide for her by Lelouch, she was confused what to do since, she still being in her memories was used to hard labor from dust till dawn so she was polishing Lelouch's sword, just then *Bang* was heard outside her door, her guars where slayed and a small pink haired lady walked into the room.

"Who are you and why have you intruded in my masters home" C.C said while she jumped up

"You know C.C I never thought you would forget me your old friend Marianne" Lelouch's mother from the body of Anya said to her.

**Author's note**

**Here's a late Christmas Present, Enjoy and Review.**


	49. Turn XXIII:And admit that the waters

Turn XXIII: ….And admit that the waters around you have grown.

**(Kamine Island)**

Doug Jones, the radar operator was very bored as he was monitoring the surrounding area around Kamine Island.

Just then bleeps came around his radar.

"Battle group Sarmizegetusa this is the Battle Group Coldstream, do you read?" he asked.

"Affirmative Coldstream" the reply came.

"Battle group Sarmizegetusa you are moving too fast and in an incorrect course, please correct" Doug said.

"Affirmative Coldstream" the reply came.

"Battle group Sarmizegetusa you are on a collision and attack course with us, correct course and slow down or you will be regarded as hostile!" Doug said now a bit alarmed at the situation.

"Affirmative Coldstream" the reply came.

*BOOM* the Sarmizegetusa's long range artillery came and bombarded killing him and they began their assault on the Coldstream guards.

**(Slayers meeting room).**

"Can you actually believe all this stuff?"Ohgi said to those around as they read what Lelouch gave Kallen.

"I would like to say no but two things force me to confirm these documents are legitimate, one being the fact that they contain actual scientific data which is both plausible and practical and the second is that they are written by that Earl of Pudding and to him the greatest crime a person can commit is writing false scientific data, so these documents are true" Laksharta said.

"And if you look at their flag you actually see that Lelouch was hiding in plain sight hi goal, since the Iron Hawk is in fact the Symbol of Geass penetrated by a sword" Todoh said.

"The question is what do we do now with this?" Kallen asked.

"I suggest that for now we move to isolate Kusakabe and this Geass thing" Kaguya suggested.

"Motion denied!" a voice was heard from outside their room and the U.F.N council representatives came into the room.

"What are you doing here!" Tamaki said.

"I am here because the hidden microphones in the room have showed us information which you refused to give to this government" he replied

"Councilmen Hatfield, what is the meaning of this!" Kaguya said to him.

"The meaning is that you are violating the basic principles of this country by withholding information from its government and making a decision without the approval of the Council" he said and he tapped and the key members of the Council appeared on the room's screen.

"Chairwoman Kaguya by withholding information from this council it is obvious that you are in direct violation of the principles of separation of powers within the state, so it is this council's decision o suspend you, what do you have to say in your defense" Ludwig Beck said to her.

**(Kamine island)**

***BOOM***BANG****BOOM***BANG****BOOM***BANG****BOOM***BANG****BOOM***BANG****BOOM***BANG*****

Element of both the 8th army and the Black Knights where now fighting each other, but the pompous and parade ground soldiers of the Black Knight where no match for the battle harden veterans.

"Hear me Coldstream, for my voice is that of justice, you have defended the enslavers of people and the thieves of land, you have stabbed in the back those which you where jealous and did not breath the way you wanted to…..WELL NO MORE, CENTURIES OF ABUSE, CENTURIES OF PERSECUTION HAS GIVEN BIRTH TO US AND NOW ON THIS DARK KNIGHT YOU WILL BE PURGED!"

"AWHOOOO!" the soldiers screamed responding to Lelouch' war cry and in a few minutes the Coldstream guards were butchered, all except the Knight of Rounds Monica and Bismarck which escaped to Schneizell's location after the Emperor told them.

"Lelouch and Cornelia and Suzaku now stood against the Geass door"

"So how do we open this thing?" Cornelia asked.

"I think I can help with that Nellie" The voice of Anya was heard from behind.

"C.C, Anya what are you doing here, and how did you get past our guards!" Lelouch said surprised that they were here.

"And why are you calling me Nellie, only her majesty Marianne called me that!" Cornelia said.

"What else would I call you Nellie" Marianne replied and from her mannerism Cornelia could swear she was the one.

**(Slayers council room)**

"Why you sons of bitches if it weren't for us there wouldn't have been a U.F.N!" Tamaki shouted but was silence by a raise of the arm from Kaguya.

"I understand and I am aware that I have breached our principles, but you have also breached them by taping my private affairs" Kaguya countered.

"That was a necessary evil, which our most esteemed colleague Kusakabe deemed necessary" Another council member said and Kusakabe's grinning face appeared much to the disgust of those present.

"Let me ask you this, will you let this man remain a member of the council knowing what evil power he has!" Kaguya said.

At this Kusakabe only grinned and said:

"Lady Kaguya it is because of this 'evil power' that the U.F.N was born."

"WHAT!" A collective gasp ran through the Slayers.

"What do you mean Kusakabe? The U.F.N was born from the Slayers and Dragon Cavalry success in the Field and Lady Kaguya's political efforts" Xingke shouted back.

"You are half correct Todoh, what you just said gave the Slayers and audience with the members of the Chinese and European powers, but the fact is that while you had success, it was not great success."

"A nation is born from the will and power of an individual who among us small ants can stand tall like a giant, and none of you are that individual, you are no Cornelia "Witch of Brittannia", you are no Schneizell "The White Prince", and you most certainly are no Lelouch "Man of Miracles vi Brittannia", you are great men and women, but these people are titans" Councilmen Enrique Angelus said to them.

"Against their might most of the members of China and Europe originally conceived that the Total Victory of the Empire was near, especially with Lelouch and his remarkable military prowess against us" Councilman Zu Lu Han.

"We initially thought to join the Empire and avoid fighting a losing battle, but then Sir Kusakabe came and demonstrated his amazing power to make our enemies fight among themselves and our soldiers turn from sheep into lions, his power made the U.F.N possible, his power made the placements of the Gefjun generators possible, he is the reason we joined you!" Councilman Will Smith said.

"He showed us a power which the Empire feared which the empire could fall from, and he also showed you that you and the Slayers are not to be trusted, and so it is this Council's decision that Along with your suspension from power, general's Todoh and Xingke will be given forced retirement along with their main Lieutenants " Jean Layette said to them.

A sea of shouts and curses came from the Slates, but once again was stopped by a wave of the hand from Kaguya.

She calmly lifted herself from her seat and said:

"You have just cut off your right hand with your left hand, and you then offered your left hand to the devil for him to wipe his ass" she said and ended the conversation.

**(Kamine Island)**

Lelouch, C.C , Cornelia, and Suzaku entered the Sword of Akasha, once inside Marianne materialized into Flash and blood.

"What in God's name!" Cornelia replied as she witnessed it.

"Don't be so surprised children, the power of Geass has unlimited potential" Charles said as he appeared.

An eerie moment of silence followed, until it was broken by Lelouch who said:

"Well I hope your story is a good one"

**(Ashford Academy)**

Nina who arrived just a few hours ago in Tokyo was in a depressed mood, she built F.L.E.J.A with the intention of being of use to princess Euphemia, but her creation only brought senseless destruction.

Her thought's then returned to something that Professor Lloyd said to her right before she departed for the Science base to begin her research.

"_Remember Nina, science in itself is neither good nor evil, it's all up to how it is used, but remember a scientist greatest fear is not failing his experiments, but succeeding at them, for they show the routes to uncharted waters, and there being the map is where monsters reside"_

"Is this what you meant professor…." Nina lamented to herself deeply ashamed at what she had crated.

**(Sword of Akasha)**

"So this is your plan! To merge every single human into one being" Lelouch said to them.

"Yes! You see because of our individual nature chaos and lies occurs, if we are one body one soul than that chaos disappears" Charles replied and started the Thought elevator.

"He ha ha ha ha ha ha ha" Lelouch suddenly laughed out loud.

"What is so funny son?" Marianne said.

"You believe that lies and individuality is the source of pain and suffering of this word! That is stupid!" Lelouch replied.

"What do you mean?" Charles asked.

"I ask you when a Nunnally tells another that he or she is pretty when in fact she is ugly, that he is fine, when she is in pain, why does she do this? She does not do it because she wants to hurt them, but to prevent them for being hurt, you blame the fault of human nature and immaturity on a portion of the human should, you want to return this world back in time before you saw it's ugly face, a stalemate of society, an eternal time out which will only lead to stagnation" Lelouch replied and he placed on the ground a small cage which he had been carrying.

"Lies born hatred, only by permanent truth can we achieve peace, Nellie talk some sense into your brother!" Marianne said to Cornelia.

"If the truth is so important why have the two of you lied to us our entire lives, and why didn't you warn us of the nobles since you are king father and you know what goes on in your kingdom!" Cornelia angrily spat out as Charles now started Ragnarok and then extended his hand to try and steal C.C code.

"Saying lies are the origin of evil, but you use one big lie in your so called crusade, Worshipping the truth but you blaspheme it by using propaganda to suit your means and discarding the truth when you deem convenient, if you really are so adamant about destroying lies then you should destroy the biggest source of lies: YOURSELF FATHER!" Lelouch said as he connected his V.A.R.I.S gun with the cage with a small cable and attached some electronic device on the gun and pointed it at his father.

"That gun will do no good boy! I am immortal!" Charles said with a chuckle.

"Yes your right, it would take a miracle for this to work….." Lelouch said he then cocked the gun

"…And miracles are my specialty"*BANG*"

Lelouch fired and Charles suddenly felt how great pain went through his body and he collapsed on the ground.

**(Slayers military base)**

"So what do we do now?" Ohgi asked around.

"The news of what the Council did has now reached the army, part of it will support us, so we are down but we are not for the count" Todoh replied.

"What move we do next depends on what the Empire does next and what does the Council does next" Kaguya said and lamented the fact that the U.F.N was falling apart, just as it had been so easily built it is now easily being demolished.

It was not a stable union, it was a house of cards and now someone sneezed on it.

**(Sword of Akasha)**

Charles immediately snapped from his daze and upon looking and his hand and getting up he realized something which filled him with horror.

"What is it darling!" Marianne said as she rushed to her husband.

"My code it's gone!" Charles replied.

"Not gone, you see according to Lavoisier , matter is neither recreated nor destroyed, it is merely transformed from one form to another, and in your case that gun transferred your Code to this. just a little something i had Llyod make" Lelouch said and he opened the cage, from it he took out Arthur the cat.

"You gave the power to change the Universe to a cat!" Suzaku said astounded at what Lelouch had just did.

"Why not? They say that Arthur will return to lead his people and with Geass the power of the kings : AL HAIL KING ARTHUR!" Lelouch said and he raised Arthur high, he then hold him next to his chest and said to the cat:

"What is thy bidding my liege?"

*MEOW* Arthur replied.

"Yes my lord! The King said that you will write something in your and as for punishment you will be Banished to Santa Helena, an Island which is 9.000 miles away from civilization, and make no mistake, why I would love the opportunity to kill both of you, that would make me no different than you!" Lelouch replied.

**(City of Pendragon, three months latter)**

The nobles where gathered in the throne room, and it was broadcasted worldwide since it was the emperor's first appearance in three months.

"His Imperial Majesty!" The Chamberlain said and Lelouch along with Suzaku, James Stadfelt George, Omar, Cornelia, Euphie with a mask covering her left side of the face, all entered the ballroom, and while they aligned themselves around the throne, Lelouch stood in front of it and from his cloak pulled out a scroll and read it.

"I Charles zi Brittannia by the Grace of God of the Holy Brittannian Empire of all the Americas, the Areas, and of my other realms and territories, Sovereign Head of the Dominion, Defender of the Faith, to all Lords Spiritual and Temporal and all my subjects: Whatsoever to whom these presents shall come greeting realizing that death will soon claim me have written this will ,and any subject which is loyal to me or the Empire will pledge an oath of loyalty to the one which I have chosen to succeed me, and that person is my son…" The world held's its breath in pause.

"….Lelouch Vi Brittannia"

A collective murmur was heard throughout the room.

"Quiet! quite! "Grand Duke Ned Flanders, the Empire's Chamberlain said.

"Your Highness if I may be so bold to examine the will" he politely said and Lelouch handed him the will.

After examining it with a few glances Ned said to those gathered:

"The writing is without a doubt his Majesties, the will has the Imperial seal on it and the person which is chosen in the will has proven a many number of times that he is a mighty and wise leader of armies and countries, the will is legitimate and I as Imperial Chamberlain with the power invested in me by his Majesty Charles hereby proclaim you your Majesty Lelouch vi Brittannia, 99the emperor of our land!"

"We do not accept you!" John Careless brother of Ferdinand suddenly shouted.

"We will not accept the son of a commoner whore as our king!" he said.

"Not we will accept a illiterate monkey to be the lover of one of our princesses even if she is a whore!" Alexander Careless said and pointed at Suzaku of which Euphie had her arms wrapped around his left arm.

Just then Cornelia ran towards the two men and lifted both by the collars.

"Cornelia don't do kill them" Lelouch tolled her.

Cornelia turned her head at him, then smiled a wicked grin at him, then turned her head back to them and gave them their punishment.

'WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" a collective shock was what the world experienced as Cornelia punished them.

She had Showed the head of John Careless, into the Anus of Alexander Careless

"!" Alexander screamed from extreme pain.

"IS there anybody else which countesses my legitimate right to become king?" Lelouch aksed with an icy stare, but none argued.

"Then AL HAIL LELOUCH!" Suzaku screamed out to the crowd.

"Al Hail Lelouch!" they replied.

"I am afraid that there is one minor detail your majesty" James said to him.

"What Lord Stadfelt?" Lelouch asked.

"A king needs a coronation!" James said and with a wave of his hand a choir formed from the few nobles who supported Lelouch and his ideals started singing a coronation song.

**Vivat, Vivat !  
Vivat in Aeternum,  
Vivat in Aeternum.  
**

From Behind him Odysseus and Cornlia came and took of his cape and palced on his shoulder the furred cloak of the Emperor.

**Vivat, Vivat !  
Vivat in Aeternum**

**Vivat, Vivat !  
Vivat in Aeternum**

**Vivat, Vivat !  
Vivat in Aeternum,  
Vivat in Aeternum.  
**

They then lead Lelouch to sit on the throne and then the gates to the room opened only to reveal the archibishop whith him was the white crown of the Empire placed on a pillow and walked right up to Lelouch.

**Vivat in Aeternum,  
Vivat in Aeternum,**

Lelouch then lifted himslef rom the throne, took a step towards the crown, and lifted it high with his hands, and then palced it on his head

**Vivat, Vivat !  
Vivat in Aeternum,  
Vivat in Aeternum.  
**

Hethen sat down back on the trone and Arthur jumped on his lap.

**Vivat in Aeternum.  
Vivat, Vivat !  
Vivat in Aeternum,  
Vivat in Aeternum.  
**

Omar and Patton came from the left with a sceptre and from the right Euphie and Suzaku came with the Holy orb.

**Vivat, Vivat !  
Vivat in Aeternum,  
Vivat in Aeternum.  
Vivat in Aeternum,  
Vivat !**

Upon receiving the symbols of power Lelouch said with his thunderous voice:

"I have become king since it is the will of the people and if they ever find me unworthy of the crown then I as their humble servant will renounce it.

The quire was electrified by this short and simple speech and added great passion now to their singing

**Vivat, Vivat ! Vivat, Vivat ! Vivat, Vivat ! Vivat, Vivat ! Vivat, Vivat ! Vivat, Vivat ! Vivat, Vivat !**

Vivat in Aeternum, Vivat in Aeternum. Vivat in Aeternum. Vivat in Aeternum. Vivat in Aeternum.

_„I have succeded, now i have the power to change the world!"_ Lelouch thought to himself as from the corner of his eye he looked to C.C and she could tell that he was through his eyes saying to her" I told you so

Vivat in Aeternum.

Vivat in Aeternum,  
Vivat !

His Kingdom had finally come.

**Author's note:**

**Read and Review, let me know is I should continue**


	50. Turn XXIV: the times they are a changing

Turn XXIV: the times they are a changing'.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_Three months had passed since the Battle of Tokyo and we had not heard from our commanders since, you can imaging our surprise and happiness as we watched the broadcast and saw that our old man was now the king"_

"_My Regiment and Division, from the Green Horned corps of a Prince which had not led in a real battle before, to the shock troops of the mightiest army and the most famous commander in the Empire, to now the Royal Guard of the newly crowned Emperor of Brittannia"_

"_Our king, or leader, our general, our hope, our light, our darkness, our comrade, our friend, our old man, through his actions, speech and gestures he has now become legend, and through his immortality we also become eternal"_

_Colonel Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan._

**(Tokyo city)**

*PANG*PUFF* PHEW* *PANG*PUFF* PHEW* *PANG*PUFF* PHEW* *PANG*PUFF* PHEW*

It had already been two days since Lelouch's ascension to the throne and there was still a great celebration going on with music, fireworks and partying.

On the news channel for the past few hours a video montage of what reforms Lelouch had brought to the country was shown, the background music was a song which had not been heard in Brittannia for over a century,: Bob Dylan's the times they are a changing'

**Come gather 'round people  
Wherever you roam  
And admit that the waters  
Around you have grown  
And accept it that soon  
You'll be drenched to the bone.  
If your time to you  
Is worth savin'  
Then you better start swimmin'  
Or you'll sink like a stone  
For the times they are a-changin'.  
**

A video of Lelouch officially proclaiming the giving full rights and citizenship to the former Areas.

**Come writers and critics  
Who prophesize with your pen  
And keep your eyes wide  
The chance won't come again  
And don't speak too soon  
For the wheel's still in spin  
And there's no tellin' who  
That it's namin'.  
For the loser now  
Will be later to win  
For the times they are a-changin'.  
**

The ministry of Censorship building being turned down was showed.

**Come senators, congressmen  
Please heed the call  
Don't stand in the doorway  
Don't block up the hall  
For he that gets hurt  
Will be he who has stalled  
There's a battle outside ragin'.  
It'll soon shake your windows  
And rattle your walls  
For the times they are a-changin'.  
**

A few minutes after Lelouch's coronation he left the room and to the amazement of the people which gathered outside he walked on foot to them and shook hands and signed autoghraps.

**Come mothers and fathers  
Throughout the land  
And don't criticize  
What you can't understand  
Your sons and your daughters  
Are beyond your command  
Your old road is  
Rapidly agin'.  
Please get out of the new one  
If you can't lend your hand  
For the times they are a-changin'.**

Statues of Charles The tomb of the Emperor's and symbol's of Britannia's militaristic doctrine being turned down are showed.

The line it is drawn  
The curse it is cast  
The slow one now  
Will later be fast  
As the present now  
Will later be past  
The order is  
Rapidly fadin'.  
And the first one now  
Will later be last  
For the times they are a-changin'.

**(Schneizell's location, Cambodia)**

"Well my brother certainly knows how to put on a show" Schneizell said as she watched the news.

"A bit to direct and to MTV, but a good effort nonetheless for getting the message across" Diethard Reed replied.

"By the way mister Reed let me ask you this, why have you decided to switch from my brother to me?" Schneizell asked curious.

"Should I document the man who rules half of the world today, or should I document the man who will rule it tomorrow?" Diethard replied.

To an ordinary man it was obviously but kissing at its best, but Schneizell knew that Reed skillfully avoided giving a straight answer, for even though he was with Schneizell he did not directly say which one he thought would rule the world.

**(Imperial Palace Pendragon)**

Lelouch was having an engagement party for Euphie and Suzaku, when he announced their engagement a few hours ago the general reaction from the population of both the Empire and the U.F.N was "I told you so" or "I knew it".

"Are you sure that it would be a good idea your highness?" James asked his king.

"Yes lord Stadfelt, with it we need not worry about those governments in exile" Lelouch replied.

"But if it fails we can lose a great deal of Territory" James replied.

"One must be ready to lose everything if one is to gain anything', my late father said that and it was one of the few things he was right about" Lelouch replied and James now knew that his decision was now final.

Lelouch then walked up to Lloyd and Cecile who were also at the party.

"Your Majesty" they said and gave a bow.

"Lord Asplundh, Lady Cecile I must say that add on you gave my gun worked like a charm" Lelouch replied.

"Well it was nothing to it my lord, that device was actually made from a prototype which we found in the Base you attacked in Mongolia, whoever made it seemed like he wanted to take that 'power' from someone and if the person was not willing, then by force" Lloyd replied.

"Blonds generally are not to be trusted" Lelouch mumbled as he was thinking at V.V

"Excuse me?" Lloyd said as he did not hear what Lelouch said.

"Nothing, just thinking out loud, oh and by the way Lord Asplundh here is the budged modifications you requested, ask me if you require more" Lelouch said and he left them.

"Lloyd looked at his new budged numbers and almost squealed with joy.

"This calls for a celebratory snake" Cecile said and gave him a sandwich.

*BITE* Lloyd started eating it and a grave realization came over his face.

"Did you make this sandwich?" he asked.

"Yes! Do you like it? It has carrots, oranges, beef, wasabi, sugar, cinnamon and mayonnaise; it contains everything the body needs" Cecile replied with a smile.

Lloyd with his mouth slowly chewing looked at the sandwich, then at Cecile, then at the sandwich again and said:

"Delicious! Your best sandwich yet!" Lloyd said and fore once in his life he was honest, the strange almost morbid combination of sweet, sour, spicy and salty which Cecile usually put into her food usually was everything what made a really good vomit pill feel like, but now from a one in a million chances he 'Frankenstein Sandwich' was actually quite edible, and dare he say it tasty.

"_It's either that or I am so hipped up from the new budget that the joy of my heart is overshadowing the pain of my tong" _Lloyd thought to himself.

Elsewhere in the ballroom Jeremiah was introducing Sayoko to his father.

Sayoko had a present for him, but accidentally doped it and it rolled under a heavy marble desk.

As Sayoko went to get it Jeremiah's father bent over to his son's ear and said.

"Listen son this isn't the first time I met one of your girls, you've brought home every tipe of woman from Black to white to yellow to red, so what does this girl have that make you sure she is the one this time?" He asked.

Just then Sayoko nonchalantly raised with one hand the two hundred pounds desk and retrieved the gift.

"I think I now know what you see in her" Jeremiah's father said to him as Sayoko returned with the present.

**(Island of Saint Helena)**

Charles was in his garden tending to his rose bushes when Marianne came to him with some tea.

"Here's your reward for working hard Darling" Marianne said to him, she was still corporal because the mechanism which geass used to recreate her body was like an artist making a statue, just because the tools or artist was no longer around that did not mean the sculpture would disappear with her.

"Well since I couldn't make a better world, I might as well make a better garden" Charles said with a chuckle.

"Still I must admit I was surprise to see just how good the conditions are here, the house if the size of a mansion, there's a pool ,Jacuzzi, a TV and plenty of food and water" Marianne said to him as she turned on the garden TV.

"Well this must have been one of Lelouch's planned safe houses if he ever would have failed in the game of power" Charles replied.

"Well he seems to be doing fine now, those reforms has really ensured him great support" Marianne said.

"Politically they are a bad move" Charles replied.

"What do you mean?" Marianne asked.

"The reforms now changed the system from one in which the numbers had no rights to one in which the various minorities in the Empire have equal rights and equal rights also means a right to govern themselves, he cannot continue to say he supports equality if the member of government and the state are only made Brittannian's" Charles replied.

"That is a problem! But can't he just give them political power?" Marianne asked.

"Political power also means military power, if he gives them that there is a great change they will use that to secede from the Empire and he would have to put down those uprisings in blood, which is not to good for one's public image, also the governments in exile will work for the same thing" Charles replied.

"So there's nothing he could do?" Marianne asked.

"Well there is one thing he could do." Charles replied after thinking for a moment.

"What's that?" She asked.

"You'll find out soon enough, if I tell you now I will just spoil the surprise" Charles replied.

**(Imperial Parliament)**

Lelouch was attending a meeting with the parliament and the Reformists which were now in power thanks to him where announcing their desire for reforms.

"I Viscount Jake Heineken move a motion that in which all privileges of the Nobility be abolished!"

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

"I bishop Gardner make a motion that all privileges by the church be abolished!"

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

"I Duke Marlborough propose that the Area's be given full state's rights and their people full citizenship regardless of race, creed or nationality!".

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

"I hear you gentleman and I approve of these reforms, and I also have an important reform to propose" Lelouch said to them and they turned their attention to him.

"What I propose is the following: That in a week from today a referendum should be healed in every state of the Empire, in which if the people will vote whether to remain in the Empire or not"

"Those states who vote to leave will be obliged, for those who vote to remain the following new laws will be given:"

"Parliament will be expanded for it to receive members which are from the former Area's, the number of representatives equivalent with the country's population"

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

" The function of Prime minister of the Former Number will be created and along with the function of Prime Minister of the Empire will became an elected position which will be decided through vote once every five years"

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

"The Position of Governor will remain a function appointed by the Crown, but his only functions wil be diplomatic and to lead the respective states armies"

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

"And finally a series of powers will be transferred to Parliament as listed on this paper in which the people will have a say in the way their country is governed, ".

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

Storm of applauses and Hail Lelouch flooded the room as Lelouch left the meeting and his motion was approved.

**(Bridge of the Ikaruga)**

"Man this guy moves fast!" Tamaki said.

"Lelouch seems to have hated Brittannia as much as we did" Todoh said.

"He's completely removing any autocratic powers from government!" Ohgi said.

"Support for him is also great in the U.F.N" Kaguya replied.

"So what do we do now? I mean there is much reason left to fight Brittannia now with what just happened" Tamaki asked.

"We still do not know what tomorrow will bring, the U.F.N has ousted us and Lelouch still has one enemy he has yet to face, it is still too early to decide what we will do next" Xingke replied.

**(Emperor's bedroom)**

Lelouch had just entered the bedroom and noticed C.C was in his bed.

"Aren't you worried that you will lose control of the country?" C.C asked him.

"Not really, you see support for me is an all-time high so I doubt any state will vote to secede, the military will still be under my control, also since there will be democratic government in each state, there will also be an need for campaign funds for the candidates" Lelouch replied.

"And Campaign funds come from the Bank, and last time I checked thanks to Mister Stadfelt efforts your bank is now the Biggest in the Empire" C.C said as Lelouch undressed and got in the bed.

"By the way who is the candidate which you chose for the roll of Prime Minister of the Empire?" she asked.

"Rivals will do, he is loyal to me, he is a great follower, but a poor leader so he will do" he replied.

"You know you're a hypocrite!" C.C said as Lelouch started nibbling her neck.

"How so?" he asked.

"You separate the power in the state, but since you control the banks, you are the life source of those powers, not even Charles had such a grip of the government as you now do" C.C replied and Lelouch realized she was right.

"You truly are the only person who understands me C.C" Lelouch replied with a smile and moved to kiss her.

"Wait a minute!" C.C said and she slipped out of bed and sneaked to the door, she opened it and her suspicions where confirmed, Shirley was listening at the door.

C.C grabbed Shirley by the hair pulled her up and gave her a passionate French kiss.

"I consider just peaking to be boring, why don't you join us?" C.C said seductively, Shirley still flustered from the kiss let herself be taken to the bed, where 'practical lessons of biology' where practiced that night.

**(Imperial Gardens a week latter)**

Lelouch and the rest of the gang where having breakfast and discussing the latest political development.

"Would you look at that! Not a single state voted to secede, and Japan was the state with the greatest number of vote to remain!" Suzaku said happily.

"That is good news!" Lelouch said ash Shirley fed him a piece of cake.

"By the way are our forces ready for any rebellions by nobles?" Lelouch asked while C.C served him a drink of Tea.

"Our troops are ready, but the nobles have not openly rebelled, instead they along with their families and fortunes have defected to Schneizell along with their armies, we manage to catch a portion of them, but a part still got away" Omar replied.

"What about Schneizell?" Lelouch asked as C.C cleaned his mouth with a napkin and Shirley planted a kiss on the cheek.

"He and the Knights of Rounds have retreated from Japan to the U.F.N, specifically Cambodia" Viletta told him.

"What intelligence do we have on Project Damocles?"Lelouch asked.

"Not much, with the exception that it involves a great number of F.L.E.J.A bombs, I am afraid that without Mister Reed our spy network is not that great now" James replied.

"What about our other Siblings?" Lelouch asked.

"They defected to Schneizell's side I am afraid after their agents informed them that we would be arriving in Pendragon ten days ago" Odysseus said and he was sad for it meant that they would soon have to fight their own family.

"You don't seem to mind Lelouch flirtatious behavior now sister" Euphie whispered to Cornelia.

"Lelouch is the Emperor now, it is his duty to sire as many children with as many different women as possible, I can't very well berate him for 'doing his job' "Cornelia said with a frow which cause Euphie to chuckle.

Just then Kuribayashi came into the garden.

"Ito! Good to see you sit down and have something to eat" Lelouch said to him happily.

"I thank you for the invitation my King, but I am not here for breakfast, a few hours two knights of Round surrendered himself and have asked for an a separate audience with you" Ito replied.

"Must be Gyno" George said to those present.

"Bring him here" Lelouch replied and to their surprise the person brought before them was Luciano Bradley.

"Sir, Luciano!" Lelouch said and he was genuinely surprised.

"Hello your Majesty!" Luciano said and gave an appropriate bow.

"You said you wanted an audience so speak" Lelouch replied.

"I thank you your majesty, and I humbly offer my sword in your service" Luciano replied.

"Serve me? Before you came here I suspect you where with Schneizell, let me ask you this why do you wish to serve me?" Lelouch asked.

"My loyalty is to the Empire, since you are now Emperor my loyalty is now to you" Luciano replied, which in itself was a satisfying answer.

"Then let me ask you why should I allow someone of your…. 'reputation' to join my camp?" Lelouch asked.

"Your highness my 'reputation' is actually quite useful for someone who is a soldier, also it is useful to you since people who would oppose you would cover in fear of me, also despite the fact that I am a sadistic bastard of which animal, vegetable or mineral I do anything to anything, I never did something I wasn't ordered to do" Luciano replied at which Lelouch asked Cornelia if it was true.

"He's right, I kept track of him, what he did was all on orders, when you think about it that say's a lot about his moral integrity" Cornelia replied.

"_Moral integrity?" _Lelouch thought in his head as he looked at Luciano.

"One thing you should know Lord Bradley, I am giving Suzaku here the title of Knight of Zero which will make him squad commander of the Knights of Rounds, does that bother you?" Lelouch asked.

"As long as he doesn't slow me down I am good to go" Luciano replied and Lelouch let him in.

"Send in the other knight." Lelouch ordered.

"Lulu! Nellie!" a familiar female voice was heard and Lelouch, Suzaku, Omar, George, Cornelia, Alfred, Guilford all Froze in fear.

"What's going on! The Ice Tea has started Boiling!" Shirley said a lit unnerved.

"And the crucifix around my neck suddenly is burning hot" Lelouch added.

"Also my hair stranded on its head and Lady Cornelia has just retreated, which means only one thing!" Suzaku also said.

Nonette Evergreen the knight of nine and the owner of that voice suddenly appeared in the garden.

"Hey Lulu, you sure have gowned into such a man." Nonette said as she pinched his cheeks so hard they turned red, she was now probably the only person of the planet who could get away with that.

"Well I came here to ask I could join your merry bunch!" Nonette asked playfully.

"If I said now would that still stop you?" Lelouch asked

"No not really."Nonette said nonchalantly.

"Well then welcome aboard." Lelouch replied.

After that Nonette gave him a small file which was stolen from Schneizell .

"This is a basic outlet of Schneizell's strategy! Jeremiah I wanted the cities listed to be evacuated as soon as possible!, James get a Press Conference ready we will have to a press conference and accelerated the second part of our plans, Euphie, find Cornelia and tell her to muster whatever force she can for one last military campaign, let's move gentleman".

**(Ashford Academy)**

"Here's that pizza you wanted Nina!"Rivals said as he and Millie delivered it to her.

"Thank you Rivals, and thanks' Millie for letting me stay here, for making F.L.E.J.A I now have few friends now" Nina replied.

"By the way why didn't you join Shirley with Lelouch in Pendragon" Nina asked.

"He told me to stay here and look after you two, also he had a surprise and coming there would spoil it." Rivals replied.

"Hey guys Lelouch is now broadcasting something from Honolulu!" Millie said.

On the TV Lelouch had now officially signed the Pact of Honolulu, which guaranteed the reforms of the Empire, the reasons he chose the Island for the Location of the pact was that it was a good location for which to gather an army and march it to meet Schneizell and that the Island was approximately of equal geographic distance of every corner of the Empire's borders.

"With the occasion of this treaty I have a few things to announce:"

"The First is that with My Sister Euphemia's engagement to My Friend and Knights Kururugi Suzaku, combined with the fact that he is the air to the house of Kururugi and son of Genbu Kururugi a I am officially Giving Japan the Title of 'Empire of Japan" and as her monarch I name my sister Euphemia with Suzaku as her consort!"

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

"The Second announcement is that until as Provisional Prime Minister of the Empire until proper elections can happen next year in the fall I name Mister Rivals Cardemona!" Lelouch said which cause Rivals to choke on his slice of pizza.

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

"The third announcement is that with the Ratification of this Treaty and the results of the referendum there can be no doubt that I am the legitimate ruler of the Empire, and so I announce that the Holy Brittannian Empire will join the U.F.N, as meeting place I request it to be Ashford Academy of Tokyo"

Lelouch said it and the whole world was shocked by this.

"My desire is to ensure peace and stability within our world" Lelouch said as he produced from his pocked a small box.

"As a sign of my hones intention and to show that I bear no I'll will or grudge to anyone I am officially returning to Lady Kaguya Sumeragi her family's Corporation which was confiscated last year" Lelouch added and from the small box he took out its contents, it was an olive tree branch.

Lelouch then got down on one knee and said:

"To the men and women of the U.F.N I humbly offer this olive branch and I sincerely hope you will accept it" Lelouch said and the transmission ended

**(Ashford Academy, two days later)**

"We are live here in front of the designated meeting place where His Imperial Majesty Lelouch vi Brittannia will meet with the delegates of the U.F.N and decide whether or not the Empire will join the U.F.N" Millie said as Lelouch's ship the Sarmizegetusa came into full view.

Lelouch, Rivals which joined Lelouch before he arrived in Japan and Shirley all arrived and exited the ship.

"There he is the Emperor of Peace!"

"Long live the king"

"Your majesty!"

The crowd screamed joyfully as Lelouch made his way to the conference room.

**(U.F.N meeting room)**

Lelouch sat down on the table with Rivals to his left and Shirley to his right.

"Your Majesty you have told us that you desire to join our union of countries, but as you know the legislative is decided by vote and a country's power to vote is decided by its population, if you sincerely wish to join you must either reduce its territory or lower it's vote value" Kusakabe who now served as the new Chairman said to him., he was also projecting his geass on him, but Lelouch secretly had a geass counter disguised as his watch.

"_This geass using scumbag and his cronies stole the country which Kaguya built, I would like nothing more to strangle you with my bare hands, my body is weak, but my mind is strong.."_Lelouch thought to himself.

"I understand your concern and you are right, the size of my country is too big for it to operate in your system, but at the same time my country was made from sweat and blood, simply dividing it like that would make all of the blood spilled to make it over the years in wane, so I offer a compromise like how democracy is all about" Lelouch said and noticed Kusakabe was angry because geass wasn't working on him and he wasn't being intimidated.

"I propose the following: Each of the former Area's be given the individual right o vote, that way there is no danger of democracy being impeded" Lelouch replied and it was a satisfying answer to the dilemma.

Kusakabe saw that the council was agreeing to it and this was not working out for him, he wanted to publicly turn the world against Lelouch and humiliate him, so he needed a change of tactics.

"Beside that you must acknowledge that Brittannia is guilty for waging a war of aggression to conquer and enslave the world and also pay war depredations.

**(Slayers headquarters)**

"Looks like Kusakabe is dead set on continuing the war and vilifying Lelouch " Xingke said to those present.

"Wait and see! He will be put in his corner" Kaguya replied.

"First of all 'chairman' Kusakabe the term war of aggression is in itself a pleonasm, since war itself means battle and destruction, and a battle cannot be non-aggressive, second of all the various military conflicts which have been around recently have been fought by multiple parties, and every party involve in the war equally shares the blame for its start"

"Within the history of mankind few times there have been wars fought between good an evil, but there have always been wars between one good and another good, every intelligent person on the planet knows this is true, only stupid people thing it is not, and a very intelligent person like yourself can see that this is true, or are you saying you don't see it as so?" Lelouch said to him.

Kusakabe was now clenching his fists in ager:

"_This brat if I say yes I publicly acknowledge I am a moron, if I say no then it's like saying to the world he is wiser than I am!"_ Kusakabe thought to himself.

"Regardless of that you must pay war depredations for the territories affected by your military operations!" Kusakabe spat out.

"Affected territories? If it comes to that then the former members of the Chinese Federation must also pay great war depredations fro both Invasions and occupations of Kyushu, and the Former E.U members must also pay the Chinese Federation for their part in the Vermillion Affair Conspiracy, are you sure you wish to complicate things to such a degree, because we can argue about this for weeks and it would only result in stalemate and confusion of which no one would profit, but it would be counterproductive for the planets various states, which in term will affect the people's lives' and I believe they have suffered enough." Lelouch calmly said.

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

*CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP**CLAP*.

A flood of applause came from the council members except Kusakabe.

A great smile came upon Lelouch's face as he saw that the official document being passed among the council member to sign

"_This is it! With the combined military force of the Empire and the U.F.N Schneizell has no change!" _

Lelouch thought to himself as the document was now being brought before him, and he started counting backwards mentally.

"_5, 4,3,2,….."_

As the document was about to be given to Lelouch, a sudden flood of messenger came to inform the Council members of the developing situation, one messenger also came to inform Lelouch but he did not need to be inform because he knew that Schneizell had beaten him to the punch.

"I am afraid you highness that we cannot legitimately accept your country" Kusakabe said as his smile reached his ears.

"And why is that?" Lelouch asked even though he already knew the answer.

"Because you are not capable of protecting or maintaining your country, for your capital Pendragon has just been destroyed by Schneizell!" Kusakabe said with glee as he showed on a monitor images from their spies within Britannia.

"Not capable? The city may have been destroyed, but the people had been evacuated before it happened, I think that proves I can protect my people, and yet you still deny to recognize me?" Lelouch asked.

"We will not!" Kusakabe replied now very angry that Lelouch still had strong comeback's.

"Instead you will recognize a man who tried to destroy his countries own capital, and possibly kill millions in the process?" Lelouch calmly said to him.

"SILENCE! You are forbidden you speak!" Kusakabe said as he was now foaming at the mouth.

"On what grounds?" Lelouch calmly said.

"You are do not required to know!" Kusakabe spat back.

"I knew you were a bully Kusakabe, but I never knew you where such a dishonest, honorless, and immoral man" Lelouch said to him.

"Immoral man? Dishonest you're the one to talk!" Kusakabe said as his angers dissipated and with an evil smile said.

"You and your dubious choice of companionship" Kusakabe said and he flashed on the main monitor a picture of Kallen and Lelouch kissing which was taken at that restaurant before Shikinejima.

Needles to say this astounded many people of the world.

"_And this was such a beautiful day" _Lelouch lamented to himself.

**Author note:**

**Read and Review, let me know if I should continue.**


	51. Turn XXV: Ragnarok Part I

Turn XXV: Ragnarok Part I

**(Ashford Academy meeting hall)**

"There is a reason for that!" Shirley said suddenly into the microphone.

"What do you mean?" Kusakabe replied.

"Well…that dinner was a marriage meeting between Lelouch and Kallen!" Shirley said to the world shocking it.

"M…..marriage!" Tamaki belted out loud and a swarm of eyes beamed on Kallen.

"_What the hell Shirley!" _Lelouch thought *BUDUMP**BUDUMP* *BUDUMP* to himself as his heart was now racing. _"Hey hears stop beating so fast!" _he thought to himself

"And how would you know that miss?" a question came.

"Well y-you see I'm….."Shirley said.

*BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP*

"_Stop beating so loud heart!" _Lelouch said in his mind.

"I-I 'am…"Shirley added.

*BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**BUDUMP**.

"I'AM ALSO HIS MAJESTIES FIANCEE!"

I…,.

"_My heart stopped!"_ Lelouch said as he clenched his fist to his chest and looked in horror at Shirley and what she said.

"…You…"

"…Are…"

"…Also…"

"…his fiancée…?"

Shirley stunned the world at this moment and capitalized on their reaction.

She then went: "You see back then both Kallen and myself became engaged to Lelouch since we both loved him….." she then continued on a bogus story about how the three of them became thorn between their respective duties and their past romance and inner turmoil.

Lelouch now looked at Shirley in disbelief, for he now he discovered the truth about her:

"_Shirley is a delirious pervert!"_ he said to himself.

Shirley continued on her stories which were starting to sound like scenes from a Fabio novel

"…And on Saturday's we used to go to this beautiful beach and *Snatch*" Lelouch quickly grabbed the microphone from her hands.

"I think that's very much enough for now!" Lelouch said his face greatly flustered.

"_Delirious pervert my ass! This girl is the Queen of Perverts!"_ he thought to himself.

With that the meeting was adjourned.

**(Slayers military base)**

A series of eye's all beamed on Kallen and an eerie silence followed until Tamaki broke it

"Care to explain what was that all about?" he said angrily.

"Well we went on a few dates…..we became a couple and then he was unmasked…..and then and then….." Kallen said as tears streamed down her eyes.

"Everyone stop this you're making Kallen cry" Kaguya said defending her friend.

"Well sorry if I am making the future queen cry!" Tamaki spat out.

"This is a serious complicated situation!"Ohgi said to himself.

"It's not that complicated! It's a matter of love!" Kaguya determinately said to him.

"I agree, you cannot choose who you will fall in love" Chiba and Laksharta also supported her.

"OK, ok! but putting that aside what do we do now?" Ohgi askeed

While the group was debating things, they saw that Tamaki was leaving.

"Where are you going?" Xingke asked.

"To the Black Knights camp to enlist" Tamaki replied.

"Join the Black Knights?" Todoh asked him.

"Well seems to me we either join Lelouch or Join Kusakabe and Schneizell, and why should I join Kusakabe? To fight for a Prince who blew up two cities and for a asshole who fired us and stole away the U.F.N, and against who? The man who destroyed the old Empire, no sir not me!"

"You guys can o whatever you want, but I've made up my mind" Tamaki said and he left the room.

"What he said does make a valid point" Empress Tianzi said to the group.

"But will he receive us after everything that has happened between us?" Hong asked.

**(A few hours later, U.F.N council room)**

A party was going on which was hosted by Kusakabe, everyone was laughing, eating, singing, except Marshall Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus,.

"Today we have eliminated the corrupt elements from our U.F.N and with our recent Alliance with Schneizell we have ensured that we will be on the winning team of the war, gentleman we are soldiers! Let us rejoice!" Kusakabe said to them and "Hurrah" Was their answer.

Kusakabe then noticed that Friedrich was not enjoying himself, but rather drowning his sorrow in alcohol.

"Is something the matter Marshall Friedrich?" Kusakabe asked him.

"Your 'Excellency' from the atmosphere here it looks like we are going to fight the Empire, but we in fact submitted to them by becoming Schneizell's lapdogs" Friedrich replied and did not bother hiding his disdain.

"Marshall you're attitude!" Kusakabe and many of his cronies shouted at him.

"Let me ask you something "Chairman", what do you intend to do about Lelouch and Schneizell?" Friedrich asked.

"Do? I intend to manipulate both Schneizell and Lelouch, make them fight against each other and then defeat them and we will reign supreme!" Kusakabe boasted.

At this Friedrich stared and him for am moment before he lowered his gaze and started laughing maniacally.

"HA HA HA HA HAAAAAA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"You defeat the geniuses of Schneizell and the likes of Lelouch?"

HA HA HA HA HAAAAAA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

HA HA HA HA HAAAAAA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

HA HA HA HA HAAAAAA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"Fucking morons!" Friedrich now angrily and very drunkenly shouted as he flipped the table over.

"I know Lelouch! He will fight the way he wants to fight and he will blow us to kingdom come!" Friedrich shouted.

This was too much for Kusakabe and he activated his geass, infusing the already angry group of his cronies with even more bloodlust and they attacked Friedrich.

They gang upped on him, hit him, bit him, one man took a knife from the table and stabbed him in the back.

"Aaaaaggggggggggg!" Frederick said.

The other followed suit and with knives from the table continued to stab him in the chest, arms, lungs, stomach, liver, back, legs, until Friedrich collapsed on the ground, and after a moment gave his final breath.

The band in the room which up until now was playing lively music started a slow and sad music out of respect for the poor man.

"Gentleman I approve of your gesture and despite the fact that he was a traitor I wish for his absolution in the afterlife" Kusakabe said with mock grief.

At the edge of the room next to the walls, where other Military commanders who where colleagues of Friedrich.

"What a great tragedy! And this isn't even recent, even in the former E.U the government got rid of people they did not like, with even less savory means" Adrian Potiasky Leader of the Polish army said.

"A shame on our heads for obeying such scum!" Cabrillo Giuseppe, the commander of The Mediterranean forces told his colleagues.

"God will punish both us and them….poor Frederick, a very sour reward for the forty years which he lived with the sword in his hand" Adrian said as he and Cabrillo left, certain that whatever happened the future of the U.F.N looked bleak.

**(Black Knights Base, Honolulu harbor a few days latter)**

Lelouch and his lieutenants where having dinner.

"I can see that all of you are curious, but none of you has the guts to ask so I will give you the story behind me and Kallen" Lelouch said and they all snapped to attention.

"What you heard from Shirley is a fabricated story, here is the truth, I suspected Kallen to be a member of the JLF and I invited her to a restaurant in order to very discreetly find you the truth, she drank some wine, we dance a few times and unfortunately she while dancing had a tight grip on me, I couldn't break away and she had her way with me" Lelouch replied.

"Wait she had her way with you?" Cornelia asked confused.

"You know she had her way with me!" Lelouch said a bit flushed.

"She had her way….OOH! She raped you!" Cornelia shouted out loud which caused them to jump from their seats, except Suzaku, who knew of his friends 'traumatic experience'.

And from that any feeling of mistrust and betrayal where replaced by those of sympathy and sorry or Lelouch's ordeal.

Just then James entered the room.

"My Lord we have located Schneizell's position" James said to those present.

"He is here, currently 10 miles short of The Cape of Good hope and is heading in the direction of Western Europe." He added.

"This is Bad! Half of our forces are in Japan, the other Half is with us, and neither of them are close enough to where Schneizell's route said it would be in the folder" Jeremiah said.

"Schneizell isn't the one to let that valuable of information just slip by, I suspected it, but now it seems I was right when I though he intentionally let Nonette steal the folder…Humbug! He has humbugged me! This man honors war!" Lelouch said fool with admiration for his brother and teacher.

"What are our current strength?" Lelouch asked

"We have 30.000 men with 1.500 frames here in Honolulu, our main force The Black Knights are still in Japan, there they are 50.00 strong with 4.000 frames" Jeremiah replied.

"We estimate that Schneizell had 90.000 strong with 5.000 Brittannian Frames and 9.000 U.F.N frames from Kusakabe" Viletta added.

Lelouch looked at the map for a minute and he then told them his plan.

"The army in Japan will move through Russia and intercept him here in Belgium, Cornelia you will take the army of Honolulu and come to our aide as fast as you can" Lelouch replied.

"From the difference in strength it would take me at least 10 hours to catch up, can you last that long against Schneizell?" Cornelia asked concerned.

"I may not be up to his caliber, but I think I can last that long." Lelouch said and prayed to God he was right.

"Also Euphie, Nunnally I want the two of you to return to the mainland and to Japan" Lelouch told them.

"Why! We can't just stay where it's safe while you go and fight the war!" Euphie said with Nunnally's support.

"This battle will no doubt be with heavy casualties, I do not know who will live, or if we will even win, as such you must remain there so if I fall the Empire has a leader to succeeded me, this is not only a request this is an order!" Lelouch said in a calm tone

"I agree with Lelouch on this issue!" Suzaku said and Cornelia felt the same way.

"_Also if we lose you will be shown mercy since you did not participate in the battle"_ Lelouch said to himself.

"Brother, I will do as you tell me, but…..please don't hurt Schneizell or our other brothers and sisters, I know they rebelled, but still…."Nunnally said with genuine concern for them.

"Very well Nunnally I can't promise much, but that I can" Lelouch said to her.

**(Coast of Japan)**

BAUMP! BAUMP! BAUMP! BAUMP! BAUMP!

The Sarmizegetusa alarm went off inside the ship.

"What's the matter?" Odysseus said to the radar officer.

"We have and army approaching us, from the Signature I say it is the Original Slayers army and the Dragon cavalry" the officer replied.

"What should we do your sir?" Odysseus said to Lelouch.

"Tell Chef Ramsey to set extra plates for dinner." Lelouch replied.

"Any minute now they are going to hail us with the intention of negotiating they're joining force with us "Lelouch calmly replied and a minuet latter the hail came

**(Schneizell's position)**

"Sir we have currently stopped here in Belgium to refuel and do last minute maintenance on our Damocles before going into orbit" Kannon said to his lord.

"Very well, what of the nobles and the armies they brought with them?" Schneizell asked.

"They are begging us to let them join the battle which is coming forth, also Kusakabe has politely asked that he is to command the army during the coming battle and the Nobles army be placed under his command" Kannon replied.

"Weary well, I approve both requests" Schneizell replied.

"Sir?" Kannon said confused.

"The armies are of both hostile nature to us, so it is best if they kill each other, and overwhelming victory for the U.F.N is not good for our faction, the same can be said for Lelouch. Also the nobles are as Lelouch so colorfully placed it 'parasites' let him dispose of them for us" Schneizell answered him.

**(Sarmizegetusa dining room)**

"How many troops do you have available?" Lelouch asked Xingke and Todoh.

"Approximately 22.000 soldiers and 1.800 European and Chinese Frames, and 2.500 Gekka's" Xingke replied.

"The addition of your forces to our own is a welcomed fact, so I would like to outline our deployment of forces" Lelouch said and he activated the monitor in the room.

"The center will be commanded by Xingke and the Chinese and European frames, the left wing by Todoh and the Slayers and the right Flank by my army the Black Knights under the Command of Jeremiah, Viletta, George and Omar will be stationed with the 501st and the 761st to the rear to act as a reserves, are there any complaints?" Lelouch told them.

"Our basic strategy is to hold out until Cornelia arrives with Reinforcements and we can overwhelm Schneizell am I right?" Todoh asked.

"yes, I would like to pull out another one of my trademark miracles, but I am afraid the geographic and tectonic structure of the route Schneizell has followed prevents me from doing so, he is too smart for that" Lelouch replied.

"Am I correct in the assumption that you desire to command this army during the coming battle?" Kaguya asked curious.

"In an army with equal ranking commanders whoever has the greatest number of soldiers is the commander; even without Cornelia that person is me, are you suggesting I am unqualified to do so?" Lelouch asked.

"No, just curious" Kaguya replied.

"I have a question to ask." Tamaki said and the Slayers held their breath hoping it would not embarrass them.

"Where exactly are we going to face Schneizell?" Tamaki asked.

"Here in Belgium, a dozen miles short of Brussels, I saw the terrain myself when I took London, and kept it in my pocket, it's called **Mont-Saint-Jean**" George said as he showed them the location.

Satisfied with the meeting they adjourned.

Kallen was in the hangar when her father came up to her.

"Looks like I will be a grandfather soon" he said jokingly to her.

"F-Father!" Kallen replied with a blush.

"Just joking, but joking aside did you really get engaged to his majesty?" James asked her.

"Y-yes" she replied with a blush she had met with Shirley a short while ago and they along with Lelouch decided that for now they should keep this façade.

"Do you love him?" James asked.

At that questions Kallen's heart stopped, and she thought of her relationship with Lelouch, of how he refused to compromise to the system, how he fought o change it, how he lead armies from hopeless situations to victory, his voice, his kiss, his body, his heart and she came to the one true conclusion of her own.

"I do" She replied.

"Then the only thing left to do is for me to give my blessing, after the war we can hold a triple wedding with Princess Euphemia and you mother and I" James said with a smile, he then leaned in front of his daughter and whispered in her ear

"Just remember to not be to bossy with your husband or with your wives" James playfully teased his daughter and after a moment of embarrassment they both shared a laugh.

**(****Mont-Saint-Jean, two day latter, the night before the battle)**

**Damocles.**

"_You chosen your ground well little brother, the woods to your back gives you good cover if you want to retreat and regroup, I have taught you the art of war well….perhaps a little too well"_ Schneizell thought to himself as he viewed Lelouch's army from his window.

**Sarmizegetusa**

"_Schneizell is not in command, that fool Kusakabe is, for now we have the advantage despite being two to one, but if Kusakabe gives Schneizell command what then? I never defeated him in chess and that's where we both had equal number of forces, can I defeat him now when he outnumbers us?"_ Lelouch thought to himself as he looked out the window, he turned around to his "'harem'" which consisted if Kallen, Shirley and C.C.

A surprise look came over their faces because Lelouch's skin had become pail white from concern over tomorrow.

"What are you looking at?" Lelouch said in a voice which was devoid of strength or vitality.

"Please leave me alone tonight" Lelouch told them and they hesitantly left his room since they were concerned for his health.

"May God have mercy on me if I fail tomorrow, for no one else will" Lelouch said as he laid on his bed and closed his eyes to let a troubled sleep fill his being.

**(****Mont-Saint-Jean, morning)**

The Allied army, the official name whish Lelouch, Todoh and Xingke gave it where positioned behind a steep hamlet.

Xingke walked up to where someone was sleeping with a newspaper covering his face and said:

"Your majesty the army is assembled and so is the enemy"

"A Xingke! Thank you for waking me up" Lelouch replied.

"Seeing as how I am this armies second in command, what are your plans should you unfortunately be disabled during the fight" he politely asked.

"To whip the enemy of course Lelouch replied with a smile and he went to mount his knightmare frame.

**(Damocles' army)**

**9:40 am.**

"Delay our attack? Why?"Kusakabe said to General Giuseppe.

"The ground has is muddy from the heavy rain last night, I must advice to delay our attack until the mud is dried" the general said.

"We will do no such thing! Every second we delay brings Cornelia closer! All units attack now!" Kusakabe ordered.

**Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang*

The First offensive began.

**(Allied army)**

"1st battalion engage at point five, second battalion will support" Todoh ordered his men.

"Eight regiment to begin flanking maneuver on point 9, and the third armed squadron to engage at point eight" Xingke ordered his troops.

"Looks like the enemy is going all out" Ohgi said concerned.

"No…it's just that moron Kusakabe showing us just how much of a dedicated follower of brains without brawls he is, this attack will be repulsed soon, and then Schneizell will take command and then and only then will the ball begin" Lelouch replied unfazed by what was happening.

The Damocles army attacked the Allies, their units were not well organized and as Lelouch predicted after an hour of fighting the enemy withdrew.

**(Allied army)**

"Ha ha we won!" Tamaki said enthusiastically.

"You don't look to happy for some reason." Tamaki said as he looked at Lelouch.

"Oh I am just concerned for the next battle" Lelouch said lying through his teeth.

"_The men we faced where as green as cabbage, their leader where as smart as a cabbage, anybody who thinks this is a victory is a cabbage head"_ Lelouch then took a glance at a still happy Tamaki and knew he was right.

**(Kusakabe's position)**

**11:00 am**

"We have been repulsed! And we have sustained 18.000 casualties?" Kusakabe said now angry that even with his geass and a two to one advantage he still did not win against Lelouch.

"Prince Schneizell what you suggest we do?" Kusakabe asked now deciding that since he had a very capable man as his allies he should use him.

"I have many suggestions, but it would be much easier to give me temporary command of the army." Schneizell said politely.

Kusakabe agreed and Schneizell left for the Damocles to take command of the army from there.

**(Allied position)**

**Shinkiro cockpit**

Lelouch had ordered that every commanding general and strong knightmare pilot be given a s cup of sake to toast, since the real battle was now close to beginning.

**11:34 am.**

"Ladies, Gentleman, to today's fox" Lelouch said to them trough the communications channel and they all toasted.

**Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang****Bang*

"_Well that opens the ball"_ he said to himself.

A round of artillery sounded off, and from the troops movements he could tell that Schneizell had taken command of the army

**Excerpt from Microsoft Encarta**

_The battle which took place at _**Mont-Saint-Jean **_would be the first and only time the Lelouch and Schneizell would face each other, the battle would be every military historians dream, the one clash between the two greatest commanders of an age which decided the fate of the world._

_There had been many clashed before: Liu Bay and Cao Cao, Aetius and Atilla, Caezar and Eowyn, and now Schneizell and Lelouch._

_In a strange twist of fate the site of the battle was of another battle which was fought there centuries ago, for _**Mont-Saint-Jean **_was placed next to a small vilage which is quite well know, even to those who are not passionate about history._

_The very same village where the fate of the world was decided once more centuries ago_

**Waterloo**

**Authors note:**

**Read an Review, let me know if I should finish this.**


	52. Turn XXVI: Ragnarok Part II

Turn XXVI: Ragnarok Part II.

**(Damocles)**

**11:45 am**

"First of all let's assess the situation, the enemy currently has 55.000 men, after Kusakabe's offensive we now have 72.000 men, under normal circumstances this would mean our victory, but the enemy has a good defensive position which negates that advantage" Schneizell said to Kannon.

"The logical course of action would be to remove that advantage." Kannon replied to his liege.

"Let's do that then" Schneizell replied.

**(Allied army position)**

"_Schneizell is making another full scale frontal attack, this is unlike his character, what could he possibly gain by this?"_ Lelouch thought to himself as he watched Jeremiah, Xingke and Todoh move their troops from the foot of the hill to its crest to counter Schneizell.

Lelouch then saw that Schneizell's troops suddenly stopped and where falling back.

And then it hit him and his eyes went wide as he realized Schneizell's intention.

"Jeremiah, Todoh, Xingke retreat your armies as far back as you can! If you don't do it now we will all perish!" Lelouch said to them quickly as he prayed that they would move fast enough.

**(Noble army position)**

From their vantage point Guinevere, Carlyle, Castor and Pollex who where commanding the Noble's army observed the developing situation.

"My God he is retreating!" Pollex said to his siblings and his soldiers.

"He is retreating! Lelouch is retreating!" Castor added.

Castor and Pollex then charged forward with their frames, and after them the 800 knightmares they commanded and Guinevere and the rest of their siblings followed.

**(Kusakabe's position)**

"If we let the Brittannian's be the first occupy the hill it will shame the U.F.N forever, gentleman I suggest our personal guard battalion and myself charge and do so before the Brittannian's" Kusakabe said and they all agreed and charged.

**(Schneizell's position, Damocles)**

"Our forces are all out of range, but unfortunately Kusakabe-san and your sibling with a small force have charged up the hill, what should we do?" Kannon asked his liege.

Schneizell thought about this and hesitated for a moment….but it was only for a moment and he said.

"Fire 25 F.L.E.J.A's at the hill, although it is regrettable that we must do this, sacrifices must be made for the greater good.

**(Mont-Saint-Jean)**

**12:00**

Kusakabe was having the best day of his life, he laughed with great joy as he saw just how easy the Allie's abandoned the hill, but among his laughter several bright lights engulfed the hill, and Kusakabe best day became his last along with Guinevere and the other imperial sibling who joined Schneizell.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_Imagine before you a light of such great intensity appears that it is as though a second sun lighted in front"_

"_After the light subdued the hill which we just used was gone, in its place was nothing but burned earth and a slight scoop shaped elevation of land which was burned black"_

"_Also the amount of bombs used made the mud and dirt kick up in the sky blocking the sun, and the electronic pulse scrambled all our radars"_

"_If I had to compare that situation to anything else I'd say it was like fighting in hell"_

_Colonel Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan._

**(Allied position)**

**12:20**

Thanks to Lelouch's quick thinking the Allied army managed to retreat to the woods and reorganized a line there.

"You've got to be kidding me! He blew up the damn hill!" Tamaki said to those on the command bridge.

"It's actually one of the basic rules of war, if your enemy has an advantage, then you must remove it, I only berate myself for not seeing it sooner" Lelouch replied.

"All units prepare for battle the real fight begins now!" he ordered his army.

**(Damocles)**

"Your highness , I believe destroying the hill is enough, the army should be able to defeat Lelouch now without your help, may I suggest we go into orbit?" Kannon said to his lord.

"That's right, there is no longer a reason to stay here, engine room are you good to go?" Schneizell replied.

"This is the engine room, I am afraid my lord that the use of the F.L.E.J.A's on the hill produced a massive shockwave which unfortunately damaged the engines, we will need at least six to seven hours to rebuilt them" the chief officer of the engine room told him.

"Can't be helped, do your best and repair them as quickly as possible" Schneizell told the engineer.

**12: 38 p.m.**

"Now while we wait why don't we continue this game little brother" Schneizell said to where Lelouch had his army and he issued his orders.

"We will begin the attack there on his right flank, and if he weakens his center to support his flank then I will now if I was a good teacher or not" Schneizell said as he was anxious to know the answer to that.

**(Allied army)**

**12:44 p.m.**

"Commander the enemy has begun to attack the left flank, he intends to rout us on the right" Shirley a bit panicked told Lelouch.

"What the master intends to do and what he actually does will be as different from white knight to Black bishop" Lelouch replied.

"Hey let me take my regiment and sweep them from the left side!" Tamaki said to Lelouch eager to join the battle.

"I don't intend to run around for every treat I am offered like some stray dog…there will be plenty of time for that sir, plenty indeed" Lelouch replied to Tamaki's enthusiasm.

**(Allied position, right flank)**

"Hey yaaaaaaaaaa!" Suzaku shouted as he destroyed another enemy.

Just then an incoming rocket prepared Harken came at Suzaku and after catching it and destroying it he recognized it as belonging to Gyno.

"Snap out of it Suzaku! You can still return to our side!" Gyno said to his friend.

"Return to your side? It is you who should be returning to our side! You pledge to serve the Empire, Lelouch is now the Empire, or do you intend to Betray Brittannia?" Suzaku said which caught Gyno off guard.

Not hesitating a moment Suzaku attacked Gyno and Disabled his knightmare without killing him, and Gyno was captured by Lelouch's forces.

"You just stay put Gyno, we will finish this latter." Suzaku said to him and continued in his fight.

**(Damocles)**

**13:58 p.m.**

"_He hasn't moved, he's glued himself to the forest, you have been a good student Lelouch, you have too qualities I admire caution, and above all courage"_ Schneizell thought to himself and despite the fact things weren't going his way was pleased he had been such a good teacher.

"We should proceed to his left flank as well, order the attack!" Schneizell told Kannon.

**(Allied position, left flank)**

"From his artillery shots he seems to intend to pay you a visit Todoh" Lelouch said to him.

"I've never seen troops move so fast! It's like we are facing a totally different army" Todoh said and was genuinely impressed.

"Schneizell can move troops with the swiftness of chessboard pieces, hold their advance, notify me if you need reserves" Lelouch replied to him.

"Understood!" Todoh said and he got to work.

"Chiba prepare your division for assault, I will bring up the rest of the troops" Todoh told her.

"Don't strain yourself Sir my boys will hold them" Chiba replied.

"I'll take your advice, also don't you dare die, I have already lost to many valuable friends to bare loosing you two" Todoh said to a now blushing Chiba.

(

*Slash* Trash*Bang**Slash* Trash*Bang**Slash* Trash*Bang**Slash* Trash*Bang*

Kallen and the knight of One Bismarck where docking it out.

"While I acknowledge your talents, I do not acknowledge your fiancée, the usurpers as the Emperor and so I will destroy you" Bismarck said and he activated his Geass to use against Kallen.

**(Damocles)**

**14: 32 p.m.**

"Move our center to attack their center, but only to demonstrate, have one regiment from our reserve forces move around their right flank and attack them from the rear" Schneizell ordered

**(Allied position)**

**15:09 p.m.**

"Viletta this is Lelouch, the center is under heavy attack and a gap is threatening to appear, assist Xingke if you please." Lelouch ordered her.

"Understood, I will show the enemy the fury of a warrior woman" Viletta replied with a smile and Lelouch did the same with a chuckle.

"This is Jeremiah! An Enemy regiment has appeared on our location and is flanking us with the intentions of attacking us from the rear" Jeremiah said to Lelouch.

"Omar align the tanks and infantry into a defensive formation around Jeremiah's rear , George you will withdraw the Knightmares a two hundred passes and on my mark will charge the enemy" Lelouch ordered his men.

"Understood!".

"Odysseus use your artillery to support George and Omar, ignore the other Area's for now"

"Understood!"

"General Ohgi move the Ikaruga 300 meter forward so we can better observe the battle and give the center fire support with the Hadrons" Lelouch ordered.

"Yes sir" Ohgi replied _"Even in a situation as dire as this he is as calm as a rock is hard!" _he said to himself and he was impress for he now witness for the first time how Lelouch behaved in a battle, the eerie calmness and sound judgment which where characteristically of him was very inspiring.

**(Damocles)**

**15:31 p.m.**

"The flanking force hit a well defended position and was itself flanked?" Schneizell said to Kannon after he received the news.

"Yes sir, the regiment has been broken and is being destroyed, shall we sent reinforcements, we still have 4 regiments in reserve?" Kannon replied.

"That would not be a good idea, the forest and electronic interference makes us blind, if we try to flank them again I am afraid we may lose the flanking for once more in a similar manner since, looks like we must rely on frontal assaults to break Lelouch's line" Schneizell replied to Kannon.

"_We are positioned in an open field Lelouch is heavily camouflaged in a forest, he sees our every move, we only see the enemy we come into contact with, and we do not have radar from the debris and electronic interference from F.L.E.J.A, and without radar we cannot target Lelouch to hit him with another bomb, maybe blowing up the hill, wasn't such a good idea"_ Schneizell thought to himself.

"How much time we estimate until Cornelia arrives?" he asked.

"Three and a half hours my lord" Kannon replied.

With the added time limit to the difficulty of this match Schneizell then felt something he did not fell in years…he felt excited, for the first time in his life, he was fighting a battle in which he was not certain of victory.

"Tell the remaining regiments the following:"

**(Allied left flank)**

*Slash* Trash*Bang**Slash* Trash*Bang**Slash* Trash*Bang**Slash* Trash*Bang**Slash* Trash*Bang*

"_This can't be! I am loosing even with my geass!" _Bismarck thought to himself as he took Kallen's merciless offensive, until finally his sword broke under the pressure.

"This is for the countries you enslaved!" Kallen said and smashed Bismarck's knightmare left arm.

"This if or the people you killed!" she added and destroyed his knightmares torso.

"And this is for me, SAYONARA!" Kallen screamed as she fired the radiation wave destroying the Knight of One.

**(Allied right flank)**

**16:21 p.m.**

"This is great left, right, up, down is filled with nothing but enemies!" Luciano said with glee as he destroyed another enemy frame and looked for his next target.

Suddenly one lost infantry man who was on the ground and hiding in the ruble saw that Luciano's frame was in a vulnerable position and he fired an R.P.G at it,.

*BANG*

The rocket hit Luciano's cockpit, it was not enough to kill him, but just enough to mortally wound him , his frame however was still operable.

"W-What is your name?" Luciano asked the now terrified infantry man.

"I want to know the name on the man who struck me down Luciano said as blood started to drip from his mouth.

"R-Robert F-F-Ford" the soldier hesitantly and now very scared replied.

"Robert ey, well Robbie let me show you a trick as a reward for killing me" Luciano said and without looking to his back he threw his lance backwards and it impaled an enemy frame destroying it, a wire was attached to his lance and Luciano pulled it back to hi, he then turned to the colleagues of the frame he just destroyed.

"Let me ask you ,you scum what is the most important thing to man, the answer is life and for life we will lie, cheat and steal even kill to protect it, if I wasn't clear enough THEN LET ME ELABORATE FOR YOU!" Luciano shouted and he hurled himself and the group of frames.

**(Allied center)**

**16:38 p.m.**

Xingke was giving orders and fighting from his frame the Shen-Hu the enemy, when a great pain came over him and he started to cough blood.

"_Damn it my disease has now gotten the best of me, why now, an hour…no just 30 minutes latter would have been enough"_ Xingke thought to himself.

"Zhao Ling I am giving you command I am afraid this reached body of mine no longer wants to cooperate" Xingke said as he started losing consciousness.

**(Lelouch's position)**

**17:00 p.m.**

"_He's gathered his reserves of both my right and left flanks, infantry, tanks and artillery, but no knightmares. Smoke without fire…..what are you up to big brother?"_ Lelouch pondered to himself.

**(Allied right flank)**

"Come on you scum, you daddies cheap excuses not to buy a condom, which one of you….which one of you ill have the honor of being the last man Luciano Bradley kills!" Luciano said as he slashed and carved his way through the enemy frames, all the while he was losing blood and dying.

"This guys a monster!" one soldier shouted.

Luciano felt his body being drained of too much straight to continue killing so he stopped.

"_People called me insane…but in this world of death and destruction was I insane or was I the only person who truly saw mankind for what it is, savages, I am not insane I am….I was the only sane person one this planet"_ Luciano thought to himself as he felt his life fading away

"I n-never did get to read…..the second volume of that book….t…..th…..though…." Luciano said as his body finally gave away and he died.

**(Lelouch's position)**

**17:48 p.m.**

"Luciano has been killed in battle?" Lelouch said to Shirley after she told him the news.

"Yes,…also the following transmission are coming in: General Xingke has collapsed due to illness, Shen Hu is now inoperable and the center is under heavy attack from enemy reserves"

"Kallen's frame has been brought back to the hangar for maintenance"

"Both Flanks are reporting a shortage of munitions"

"What are your orders?" Shirley asked.

"Distribute the armory to all available personal, cooks, engineers, medical staff and tell them to join the fight, Have Omar and George reinforce the Flanks, and prepare the Shinkiro, I am joining the fight!" Lelouch said as he left for the hangar.

"_Give me a miracle or give me Cornelia"_ Lelouch thought to himself as he gripped the crucifix which he had been wearing around his neck since Fukuoka.

**Author's note:**

**Read and review, let me know if I should continue.**


	53. Turn XXVII: Ragnarok Part III

Turn XXVII: Ragnarok Part III.

**Allied position.**

"

**18:48**

A bleep appeared on the radar and Cornelia and her forces had arrived.

"Thank GOD!" Lelouch said to himself as he was now sweating bullets.

**18:49**

**Damocles**

"Now ambush knightmare party attack!" Schneizell ordered his man and their assaulted Cornelia's forces destroying them.

"Good, now tell those knightmares to get back here and join in the final push**" **he ordered.

Diethard was watching the battle alongside Schneizell.

"Might I offer my congratulations early on your victory in the battle and becoming the all powerful master of this Earth?" Diethard said to Schneizell.

At this Schneizell for the first time in his life scowled and said to him.

"The Battle is 90% won, as long as there is even 1% change for us loosing then that mat happen"

**Allied position.**

**18:50.**

"Cornelia! Cornelia are you ok?" Lelouch asked her through the comm.

"**Yes I am fine, but that doesn't matter now…" She replied.**

At that moment Lelouch saw just how hopeless the situation seamed, his forces where being pushed on both flanks and his reinforcements where now destroyed.

"_As soon as those knightmares rejoin the army we are doomed!"_ he then saw that Damocles was now starting it's engines.

"_We may have lost this battle, but we can still win this war"!_In his mind an old song form Pet Shop off Horror's started playing

**He's got your number now  
He knows just what you've done  
You've got no place to hide,  
You've got nowhere to run  
He knows your life of crime  
I think it's suppertime  
**

„All remaining heavy knightmares this is Zero, all unit we are abandoning the left and right flanks, reorganize into a spindell and chage the Damocles, we can still win this with Schneizell's center being devoid of knightmares!" Lelouch ordered his men,.

**Come on, come on,  
Think about all those offers  
Come on, come on,**

„My lord the enemy has formed a spindell and are breaking throught the center, may i suggest firing a F.L.E.J.A?" Kannon said to him.

**Your future with Audrey  
Come on, come on,  
Ain't no time to turn squeamish  
Come on, I swear on all my spores,**

„Very well" Schneizell replied to him, but the truth was that using a F.L.E.J.A was in essence cheating and deep down inside he wanted to know who was better the master or the student.

**When he's gone the world will be yours, yours  
**

Lelouch let the Shinkirou, Guren, Lancelot's, Siegfried, Ikaruga and Sarmizegetusa in one desperate thrust to Damocle's right engine.

**[CRYSTAL, RONETTE, CHIFFON]  
Come on, come on. Come on, come on.**

Schneizell looked through the monitor staright at the Shinkirou

**Come on, come on. It's suppertime. It's suppertime.  
**

Lelouch not moving a muscle looked starigh on at the aprorachign ship and instinctivily to where the command deck was situatted.

**Come on, come on. Come on, come on.**

For Schneizell timestopped became a moment.

**Come on, come on. It's suppertime.**

For Lelouch that moment became time , seeign the F.L.E.J.A fired he immediatly activated his Druid system and piloted at the bomb, he quickle caugh it and deflecting it's tragectory he made it miss his forces.

„phase one!" Lelouch said and all his forces used pinpoit fire on one portion of the Damocles's shield weakening it.

The Shikirou then craged it and opened a small breach in the shield.

**It's suppertime. Suppertime.**

„Suzake Kallen now!" Lelouch said as he ejected his cockpit

**T**he concentreted fire of Lancelot and Guren now detroyed Schneizell's engine, grounding the Damocles and detroying the Shinkirou.

**It's suppertime. Suppertime.**

**Damocles.**

**19:01**

"Sir, our engines are destroyed, also Lady Cornelia is hailing us for our surrender" Kannon replied at which Schneizell told him to open a comm. Link.

"Cornelia dear sister I am afraid that is not possible for you see just as their cannot be two sun's in the sky, their cannot be two kings, since Lelouch has shown that he is superior I cannot continue to live, it would be an insult to him and to me….. " Schneizell said as he activated the self destruct.

**10**

"Brother wait you don't have to do this!" Cornelia desperately said to him.

**9**

"I don't want to but I must….also tell Lelouch that I am proud of him" Schneizell replied indifferently and closed the channel.

**8**

"This m-must be some elaborate plot to fake our death right? So what do we do now your highness?" Diethard asked now greatly worried.

**7**

"Why we die of course" Schneizell replied with a smile.

**6**

At which Diethard panicked ran out of the room for an escape from this fate.

**5**

"You can still escape Kannon if you like" he said to him.

**4**

"My place is at your side my lord" Kannon replied.

**3**

"Then we will go to hell together my old friend" Schneizell said as he got a white and black king pieces from his pocket.

**2**

He placed them on a chest board which was next to him, after a moment he placed the white king lying down and the black king on its feet next to it.

**1**

"Checkmate…..well played little brother" Schneizell said as a perhaps the most beautiful smile came on Schneizell's face .

**0**

Damocles exploded.

The Damocles exploded greatly damaging what was left of the two armies.

_**(Excerpt from the 2090 Kenneth Burns the Third documentary: The Century of War)**_

"_November 23__rd__,…_**Mont-Saint-Jean**_ Belgium…._

…_I died…."_

_Colonel Naoto Kan 761st regiment, 501st division, 42nd corps Black Knights._

_Excerpt from the Diary of Naoto Kan._

**(Shinkiro cockpit)**

This horrifying sight of pure destruction paid truth to the following quote:

In war, there are no winners.  
**Ramman Kenoun**

After an hour when the dust finally settled Lelouch looked over his soldiers both friend and foe as they were treated by the doctors.

As he surveyed the horrifying sight his mind involuntarily flashed him memories of his past.

"_WHAT SAY YOU BLACK KNIGHTS ! SOUNDS GOOD?"_

_To this question a deafening roar of cheers, whistles and applauses flooded the area like a tidal wave, their commander was beyond what they would ever imagined."_

He remembered how happy his original 42nd corps was when he became their commander and that he would lead them, and here is where he lead them…

His mind started echoing memories from the past which have come to haunt him.

"_you will hate me until you are old and wrinkled, but the good news is that under my command you will have a better chance of reaching old age"_

He saw well trained and very athletic soldiers, many of them, if not all were badly wounded.

"_I vow to bring as many of you back alive as possible, however some of you will die!"_

He looked at the field of war, the corpses now cowered the ground turning it into a massive rug of dead flesh.

"_I have come here to lead you to victory, not death and defeat"_

Tactically and strategically this was a victory, but could it be called so from the sheer number of both soldiers and key knights and officers who died?

"_now I know what the cost will be to change the world, if need be I will spill as much blood as it takes, bring more sorrow, more destruction so that a new world can arise!"_

His mind flashed to those words he said to C.C as he looked at the sheer tragedy which was before his eyes.

He closed his eye and took in a deep breath, the old Lelouch would have cried his heart, but after what he has been through, from the fact that he wasn't crying made him understood one thing.

"_If a devil is what I have to become, then a devil I will be!"_

"I made a vow….and I kept my word." He said to himself as he just stood there in his frame and burned this image into his subconscious forever.


	54. Author's note:

Author's note:

For all my fans I have the following message, I am afraid this is the Final Chapter of Iron Prince.

And before you start swearing me and getting your guns out let me tell you this:

Iron Prince is over, but my story is not.

Why am I terminating Iron Prince?

Well maybe because: **LELOUCH ISN'T A PRINCE ANYMORE!**

**I will make a sequel to this story, until then read, review and assimilate!**

**Resistance is futile!**


	55. author's update

First chapter of the sequel is up


End file.
